Residents at two Uniting AgeWell independent living unit villages in Tasmania are continuing to help fight fires through their generosity.
And their gift in mid-January to a rural fire station in northern Tasmania could not have come at a better time with the weather heating up as the current bushfire season unfolds.
It's almost a year on from their last generous gift to help fight the fires raging through New South Wales
So how did it all unfold? Wind back the clock to round about this time last year. Adrian and Leah Kok, both residents at Newnham Community, Aldersgate Village organised an afternoon tea to raise funds to help fight the fires raging in NSW.
Uniting AgeWell chaplain Ian Wheeler, who works at both Aldersgate Village and Uniting AgeWell Kings Meadows Community, Aldersgate, is also a relief firefighter who was heading off to NSW to help battle the blaze.
Ian and his wife, Robyn - also a firefighter who fought the blaze alongside him in NSW - both belong to the Hillwood Brigade. Ian, who has been volunteering for the last 14 years, spoke at the afternoon tea, and was delighted when Adrian organised for the $1040 raised to be distributed to help fight the horror NSW bushfires.
The residents then challenged another Independent Living Unit village to also raise money to help fight fires - and Uniting AgeWell Wesley Court in Launceston rose to the challenge.
The Wesley Court residents roared into fundraising mode - they arranged an open day with a gelato van, a sausage sizzle and a massive garden sale. But then COVID-19 restrictions hit, and everything was put on hold.
In their enthusiasm they had already managed to raise money which has just sat in the bank as the months passed, COVID-19 bit hard and the NSW fires became a distant memory.
And a few days ago, Ian and Housing Administration Officer for Northern Tasmania Jane Legard, and Jo Nicholson, President of the Wesley Court Residents Committee presented the local Kelso Fire Brigade with a cheque for $613 to help them buy a water tank.
The Kelso Fire Brigade is a group of 16 active firefighters as well as some support members - all volunteers - who look after the region in the Tamar River, Narwntapu National Park and Andersons Creek areas.
Captain Steve Masters and the Kelso Brigade members were delighted and said the money contributed greatly to buying the 24,000 litre storage tank which is sorely needed as the brigade has no reticulated water and is dependent on rain water to fill their trucks.
And with the fire season upon us, the donation could not have come at a more welcome time!
Many Uniting AgeWell residents, living in independent villages and in residential facilities, play active roles in fundraising and volunteering for a myriad of worthy causes.
Our men's sheds restore furniture, many residents knit jumpers for penguins and burnt wildlife, our home care clients are involved in a myriad of volunteering roles from knitting beanies for charitable causes to being members of organisations that help others.
