Camden Sports Club thanks community for support after flooding
The job of cleaning up a southwest Sydney sports club seemed insurmountable after floodwaters ravaged the site. But the community banded together to get the job done.
Macarthur
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As the floodwaters rose and swallowed homes and businesses in southwest Sydney, many were left wondering just how they were going to manage the clean up, including at Camden Sports Club.
Caroline Brook was “gutted” when she saw the club, where she runs the kitchen and catering with her husband Michael, had been overrun by the floodwaters this week.
She said the thought of the cleanup and what to do next was overwhelming. But, when they arrived on Wednesday to assess the damage a horde of helpers was already hard at work.
“The morning after the flood, I saw pictures on social media and felt really devastated,” Mrs Brook said.
“But then on Wednesday, I think there was there 10 different RFS brigades that showed up and on top of that there were volunteers and even people from Camden Council.
“You feel overwhelmed but it doesn’t feel as terrible when you have so many people there helping.”
Mrs Brook said there had been a lot of work done in the past couple of days to clear items from the club and start to tidy it.
The Brooks were contracted to run the kitchen in 2019 and it’s been a rollercoaster ever since then.
“We were just coming out of Covid and then this has happened,” Mrs Brooks said.
“Covid was really tough, like it was for everyone, but then to have this happen is just another difficulty on top.”
Mrs Brooks said they were not sure when the club would reopen.
“I know the greens can’t be used for the 10 days,” she said.
“On Thursday, we still didn’t have power. So it was just a lot of cleaning to try and get rid of all the gunk.”
Mrs Brooks said thank you did not seem like a big enough word to convey her gratitude.
“We just can’t thank people enough,” she said.
“It shows how people in Camden rally around each other when time gets tough.
“I think people have just rolled their sleeves up to start the work to get back up and running.”
Camden Sports Club vice-president Kevin Shaw said it had been an emotional few days.
“Everyone has rallied around us,” he said.
“The other night we had 30-odd people here walking around in water trying to get the poker machines and all sorts out.
“We have gotten amazing offers of help from other clubs, from people, from everybody as far away as upper north shore to Campbelltown.”
Mr Shaw said they are hoping to be open for business on Monday, but it will not all be back to normal just yet.
“We have a bar upstairs and if we get power then I can get it running up there in a limited fashion but our people want to come back to their club,” he said.
“We lost so much, anything that was under a metre is just gone. Food, equipment, the cabinetry, it’s all gone.”
Mr Shaw said they don’t have an estimated cost of the losses, but they have been buoyed by the local support.
“Some of the pokies are salvageable some maybe not and other clubs have said we will loan you some poker machines in the meantime,” he said.
“It’s still a lot of work but it’s been made so much easier.
“The RFS we’re great they did in one day what would have taken us two weeks.”
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