Baked Relief Lands on Esk

SEE WEBSITE www.bakedrelief.org

Updated daily with locations and more information.

So much has changed since I last posted! SO MUCH.

The cause just keeps going from strength to strength. More people are baking and cooking up a storm! Everyone wants to help.

I don't really have time to go too much into the details, but I will in the coming weeks as things in Brisbane slow down.

Here are some facts about where I am at!

• For more than four years I have owned property in Toogoolawah (near Esk)
• My step dad works in the sale yards at Toogoolawah and has lots of friends in the community
• I LOVE the sense of community in these towns, it truly inspires me
• I want these towns to know that in Brisbane, although many people are working on clean up the city, there are many people wanting to help these towns too.
• My mum and step dad live on the working family farm (near Helidon) which has been in our family for around 150 years. This is their livelihood.
• I spend a lot of time in Esk, Toogoolawah and the Lockyer Valley and I really want to support them as much as I possibly can.
• We guestimate there are more than 1,000 people in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Victoria participating in Baked Relief.
• All money raised goes to the purchase of produce and / or directly to those affected by the floods in way of food.
• As of Thursday 20 Jan, I have still not seen my boys, they are still at mums and I am hoping we can reach them this afternoon!

I was so happy that Channel 9 chartered a chopper to get Baked Relief to Esk.

I really needed to make the most of that opportunity and get in as much food as weight restrictions would allow. With the money provided by supporters I purchased:

Big box of Pink Lady apples
Big box of capsicums
A crate of packed cherry tomatoes
A few kg of bananas
A few kg of peaches
A heap of home baking from all the people who have been working on this project
A mums pamper pack.

Once we arrived and met with the SES (which are doing an amazing amazing job) they told us that the Caravan Park was badly affected so we headed straight there.

While I was there I met with residents of the Caravan Park which is very close to a creek. Some residents have had their homes washed away and now have nothing but a car. They are working together to support each other and I was so glad I could help them out. See the Channel 9 News story of my visit to Esk to help and promote the region on our website.

Beautiful Esk, The caravan park is to the middle of the photo. Click to enlarge.

Lockyer Feed-a-thon

I took down contacts for the project and will touch base with them in the coming weeks once the roads are open and we can get their safely.

In short, the Lockyer Feed-a-thon project will provide ongoing support to Esk area and Lockyer valley by way of home cooked meals.  With the ongoing support of chefs in commercial kitchens, Baked Relief volunteers and chefs will be cooking and safely storing meals for transportation in refrigerated trucks out to these areas.

For as long as we have finances and for as long as I can run this project I will continue to manage this work. I am hoping for at least 6 months.

Providing a meal to a family affected by floods might not seem like enough, but it shows that we care and it gives them a night off from cooking.

As I always say "Food always tastes better when someone else cooks it"

If you would like to be involved in this project or our other project supporting the Metro areas called Adopt a Family, please go to the website and follow the links.

Some interesting posts I thought you might like

http://digella.blogspot.com/2010/10/country-happens.html

http://digella.blogspot.com/2010/08/farm-life.html

Remember go to website HERE