Working together at Yarck.
 
Following the flash flooding in the Yarck region, early December, Rotary Club of Alexandra member Sharon Fox asked the board to consider assisting the farmers who had lost a lot of boundary fencing.  The Community Services Director swung into action on a fact finding mission to see how we could assist.
As District 9790 had contributed substantially to purchase new equipment for the Benalla Emergency Fencing Team, contact was made to ascertain if they could help.  Their response was immediately very positive and Alan Stafford together with a colleague arrived the next day to scope the work.
Murrindindi Shire helped out by transporting the tractor with post hole digger on it from Benalla to Yarck. The Yarck Hall committee made the hall available for the workers to use for breakfasts and showers.  The Rotary Club of Alexandra organised evening meal with the workers attending a Rotary meeting on the Wednesday night.
At this meeting Alan Stafford, coordinator for the Benalla Fencing Team, spoke on how it was great to be able to give a hand to the club which had liaised with District 9790 to raise funds to purchase their new equipment.
The process with this group is that all materials and fuel are paid for by the property owner. Lunch is also provided and they all, including the farmers, sit and chat whilst having a break. Alan is of the opinion that the camaraderie and talk is all part of the process of assisting people to cope with these extraordinary events.
Messages were sent out over the CFA system and through community radio asking if people needed assistance.  The fencing team stayed in the area for about10days.  Yea Rotary were also on standby to assist with catering if needed.
This was truly Rotary in action making new friendships and renewing old ones.
 
Submitted by Anne Reid, AG4.