Helping Helidon

Yesterday (Friday) I met with the ladies volunteering at the Helidon Community Hall. They have been working so hard looking after all the evacuees, setting up Internet cafes, arranging clothes, food and general support. They looked tired, like many of us are getting.

We sat and talked through what has been happening over the past couple of weeks and I offered the help of Baked Relief. These ladies have been doing an amazing job and I wanted to help them out as much as I could.

Helidon Community Morning Tea - Monday 24 Jan

I also wanted to talk to them about hosting a community morning tea for all the volunteers and local emergency services and of course those which have been flood affected. When I told them we were looking to bring Baked Relief (cakes etc) the amazing Stacey of Sunny Mummy who has been working with her team to pull together the most beautiful pamper packs for each  mum! How cool is that? These will be rolling out all over South East Queensland over the coming weeks.

Also, the wonderful Floodaid who will be there to explain how they can assist getting these towns back on track with any help they may need. Treasurer Wayne Swan will be in very important meetings and is unable to attend, but is sending some wonderful people from his office to provide shade and goods to help as well. SO MUCH HELP!

So if you are looking to do some Baked Relief support on Monday, you should head out to Helidon (take the Gatton Bypass towards Toowoomba) and come and join us opposite the Community Hall in Arthur Street, Helidon.

Baked Relief Supports the Community Center

There are lots of local growers supporting them with fruit and veg, and companies supplying cold rooms; they have heaps of wonderful support. But they hadn't had any fresh bread at all, it had all been a couple of days old. Cold meats would be welcomed too as they had heaps of meat pies, but would be nice for some varity

So within 30 minutes Baked Relief had driven to Schulte's Meat Tavern at Plainlands and purchased:

• 10 loaves of fresh bread (Two fruit toast)
• 4 kg of smoked ham
• 2 kg of silverside
• 1 kg of salami
• A few bottles of mustard and pickles.

It is really important to me to support each region we go into, so rather than try and arrange donations from Brisbane or large corporates at this stage, I have been focusing on spending money in the region and supporting local business as much as we can. 

A Country Picnic

I know there is a lot to take in for one blog post, but another range of events I am committed to organise is something I will call for the moment, A Country Picnic where (down the track) we will choose a town, pick a date, bake up a storm and head with our families to these little towns to support them. We will get together as a Baked Relief team and commit to spend at least $10 each family in these small towns and then blog about our wonderful experience. Part of this idea came from a resident of Esk by the name of Deborah Hoare who quotes "if you really want to help this region, when things are back to normal bring your picnic basket and spend some money in the valley". To that I say "GREAT IDEA!"

Some of the devastation at Murphy's Creek. It truly is a war zone. The power of water!

But the army and locals are working hard to get everything cleaned up.

P.S. If you have something to offer or if you have a need, please go to http://www.floodaid.com.au/ and register. Do not underestimate the power of this resource!