Cobar lends fire support
Wednesday February 18, 2009
Cobar Public School captains Emily Claxton and Darby Waugh and teacher Amanda Brown were among those who contributed to a coin line at the school on Friday to raise money for bushfire victims in Victoria.
Cobar residents have wholeheartedly lent their support to the Victorian Bush Fire Appeal with local firefighters to join the effort, as well as school children and residents holding fundraising activities.
25 volunteer fire fighters from the Far West Region of the Rural Fire Service flew to Victoria yesterday and will spend three days battling blazes before returning home on the weekend.
Locally, Cobar Public School (CPS) raised almost $500 and St John’s School raised $750 from ‘coin drops’ last Friday, while the Empire Hotel and GW Hotel both collected change in buckets to donate to the bushfire appeal.
Two Cobar High School students, Allanah Burton and Tarlia Mackay, also led a fundraiser with local business sponsors which netted $1,000 from sales of raffle tickets.
CPS teacher Amanda Knight, has been helping the school’s captains Emily Claxton and Darby Waugh to coordinate the fundraiser.
“One girl has emptied out her money box and brought it in and we’ve had families bringing in $25 in notes,” Ms Knight said.
“The response has just been wonderful.”
CPS will continue to collect donations for the rest of the week.
Ms Knight said all the money raised will go to the Red Cross for immediate distribution to fire victims.
CPS students have also been writing letters and cards to send to the children whose schools were burnt down and the school’s librarian, Liz Whiteman, is also putting together a parcel of much needed books to send to Victorian children affected by the fires.
St John’s School students, staff and the whole school community rallied on Friday to lend their support to bushfire victims
The school’s publicity officer Doris Powell said students formed money lines in the school’s assembly area.
“There was a huge response from students, parents and teachers, even the siblings joined in,” Mrs Powell said.
“Lots of children put their piggy banks and pocket money in.”
All stages and classes had their own money lines with a total of $750 being raised by the school.
Mrs Powell said students have been learning about the appeal and getting an understanding of the effects of fire in a community.
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