Generous donations head to Townsville for flood victims
A single social media post from one Tablelands woman has sparked a generous stream of donations for victims of Townsville’s catastrophic floods.
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A SINGLE Facebook post from Atherton woman Rebekah Freeman has sparked generosity across the Tablelands to help victims of the Townsville floods.
The post, put on Facebook about two weeks ago, was originally an inquiry about where Mrs Freeman could donate items to help those affected.
It quickly escalated from there with donations of household items, clothes and food pouring in from across the region.
Destiny Church, Atherton, was quick to offer Mrs Freeman and volunteers a room to store all of the items donated.
Norm Mears at Mears Construction and Training is set to drive out of Atherton today to deliver the items to Townsville.
Mrs Freeman said a lot of businesses and individuals gave their time and resources to help.
Coming from Townsville and having friends and family who lost everything, she wanted to be able to help.
“Some friends of mine, who live in Townsville, lost everything,” Mrs Freeman said.
She said she was just one of a number of people on the Tablelands who wanted to be able to help but weren’t sure where to go to donate items.
“We weren’t sure where to go,” she said.
“So I put a post on Facebook to see if there was any way that we could organise something.
“Then Destiny Church offered us this room and it has just gotten bigger from there.
“It has mostly been done through Facebook.
“(State Member for Hill) Shane Knuth and (Federal Member for Kennedy) Bob Katter have come to support us as well and encouraged us.
“We have had a lot of community members and businesses offer there help.
“We had Kidner Crane Hire offer us the use of its cranes to lift the shipping container onto a truck.
“Mr Mears at Mears Construction and Training offered the use of his truck and time to drive to Townsville and back.”
She said they were completely overwhelmed at the generosity of the community and were grateful to everyone.
“All of these products will be picked up Tuesday (today) and be taken to Townsville,” she said.
“The high schoolers here at Jubilee Christian College helped to pack the shipping container yesterday.
“It is now on its way to Northreach Baptist Church in Townsville where a distribution centre has been set up.
“Some of the goods will go to some missionaries who have lost absolutely everything.
“They will be putting goods on the back of a trailer and door knocking to see what people need.”
Mrs Freeman thanked everyone who donated to the flood effort.
“It’s been an amazing community effort and I am so proud to be a part of it,” she said.
“We aren’t taking any more donations, but we want to say a big thankyou to everyone who has donated.
“The room is full and people have offered a lot of their time and resources.
“We have received a lot of clothes, linens, hygiene products, vinegar, shelf stable pantry items, furniture, toys, nappies and everything you need to set up a basic home.
“People have lost everything.”
She said what they were sending wouldn’t get back what families had lost, but it was a start in helping them to rebuild.
All donations are being taken to Northreach Baptist Church in Townsville where a distribution centre has been set up for food, furniture, clothes and household goods.
The items will then be given to those in need in both Townsville and out west as needed.
Originally published as Generous donations head to Townsville for flood victims
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