Thursday, 10 March 2022

Rotary Storm Recovery Festival

Ms BURNETT-WAKE (Eastern Victoria) (10:12): Today I want to acknowledge all the groups in Rotary’s district 9810 for coming together and hosting a storm recovery festival in Monbulk on Sunday, 27 February. The storm that hit the Dandenong Ranges in June last year was the worst in living memory. The levels of devastation that came from the night of 9 June were unlike anything we locals have ever experienced. For many the last nine months have been full of stress and uncertainty, but thanks to Rotary volunteers the storm recovery festival gave so many people in the hills a reason to smile. The day was held at St George’s Anglican Church in Monbulk, where locals enjoyed food stalls, crafts, amusements, local SES and CFA displays and live music.

These devoted Rotary groups know firsthand how difficult the last nine months have been. Most of them are locals themselves who witnessed the storm and had their properties damaged. To top off the day Rotary announced it had raised approximately $102 000 for local community groups. All of the recipients were incredibly deserving. One of the recipients was Mount Dandenong Preschool, which was completely flattened during the storm. The preschool is still operating out of Olinda Primary School while it awaits an insurance report. Another recipient was Emerald SES, who responded to a record number of call-outs in the weeks following the storm. Funds will also go to the Monbulk Emergency Management Group, Habitat for Humanity, Treasuring Our Trees and Rescue Logs group, who are all doing incredible work towards recovering and remembering the storm. Thank you to all the Rotary volunteers of district 9810 for hosting this event and for the money donated to local groups. I know it will go a long way towards recovering and healing.