I have seen over the last three weeks how the virtual and real worlds can support a stronger sense of community and connectedness to each other.
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Glen Innes and District Community Centre established a flood appeal to support communities in the Tweed Valley, centred on Murwillumbah.
We decided, after our experience during the bushfires, to assist Murwillumbah Community Centre to support its community as we were able to support ours after the tragic 2019-20 bushfires.
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Because of cash donations, we were able to support community members who "fell through the cracks" of other programs.
Whatever the reason, if they needed help and could not get it elsewhere, we were able to help people with things like a new water tank or a new set of windows.
Because of social media, in addition to mainstream media, we all had access to numerous images and videos of the impacts of the recent floods in Queensland and the Northern Rivers of NSW.
We put out calls on Facebook to donate to our flood appeal through the Regional Australia Bank. We were somewhat successful with this approach.
The strongest response came though from sitting on the footpath outside the Community Centre taking cash donations. There were a number of common responses, but by far the most common one was "Where is the money going?"
There was extreme scepticism about the motives of any organisation collecting money for victims of a disaster.
People commonly referenced, in sometimes colourful but rarely complimentary language, the behaviour of large national charities during the bushfires.
Once I explained that every single cent we raised was going to a local community organisation to address locally identified community needs, the wallets and purses opened.
We were grateful to the local, volunteer-run, Chapel Theatre which offered a film night fundraiser.
The flood appeal is closed now, and we are in the process of sending the money raised to Murwillumbah.
Heavily promoted national TV campaigns and online fundraisers have raised millions of dollars.
What impressed me most though was the generosity of Glen Innes and district locals, including some whose donations, I am sure, stretched them financially.
People who are still recovering from fires and/or drought dug deep in their pockets to support another community who were in need.
Our flood appeal raised $4162.70 in just under three weeks. That money will support locals in the Tweed Valley and local businesses in Murwillumbah and surrounds to get back on their feet.
To Glen Innes and district communities, I say thank you.
