Together with the support of our amazing customers, we were able to raise enough money to help the team at BlazeAid run a volunteer camp for a week.
The volunteers are currently working in rural areas of Australia, helping local farmers to rebuild fences and structures on their properties which have been damaged or totally destroyed by the bushfires.
Photos above show some of the ‘vols’ working tirelessly to rebuild fences and structures.
📸: Monique Satchell/@moniqueliveslife
We thought we’d share this little anecdote from one of the ‘vols’ at BlazeAid – it’s always nice to see where and how the money is being spent…
The pic above is of BlazeAid ‘vol’ Shane’s wife chipping in while at a caravan park in Bright. No jokes, that’s the email from Shane (below) on the laptop on the left…
📸: Shane O’Loughlin
“So the way it works is that the local council identifies a suitable ‘basecamp’, usually the local showgrounds. BlazeAid instils a co-ordinator at the camp, then the call goes out for the volunteers (‘vols’) to come. They get themselves there and bring their own tent or caravan.
Meals are provided from donated produce, or produce is bought from the donated money if there is not enough. It’s all prepared by Vols.
The Vols are sorted into teams and head out to a property with a ‘combat ready’ trailer. These trailers are bought from donations or sometimes donated entirely and are full of donated equipment or equipment purchased from donated funds.
BlazeAid is acutely aware that dropping 100 Vols in a town to do fencing may take months of work of a local fencing contractor, who may themselves be affected by fire damage, so depending on the situation, sometimes a contractor can be paid. We think that’s only fair, and it still gets the fences done. BlazeAid has assessors to check this out, so that integrity of donated funds is maintained. Usually, property owners pay for their own materials, but sometimes donated material is used and sometimes BlazeAid funds materials. This all depends on many factors which is why the assessors have a role. Again, the are trusted volunteers who know and breathe the philosophy of BlazeAid.
Only one person in the whole organisation gets paid, and her wage is actually sponsored by another business (she works 12-18 hours a day). The rest of us are pure volunteer. Even Kev and Rhonda (the founders) are entirely Vol and still have to run their own sheep farm.
BlazeAid has become a large volunteer organisation, but you’ll find its full of farmers and family just lending a hand. You won’t find a glitzy head office or fancy branding or advertising everywhere.
Thanks again and I can assure you that your generous donation will not be consumed by bureaucracy, red tape, executive bonuses and the like.”
Shane O’Loughlin
on Behalf of BlazeAid
📸: Monique Satchell/@moniqueliveslife
PS. You can donate to BlazeAid directly here.
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