Illawarra opens its heart to Surfrider flood victims
Illawarra Mercury
Monday March 28, 2011
THE sight of dozens of strangers entering the gates of Surfrider Caravan Park at the weekend was, for many residents, their first indication others cared about their plight.Ivan Rowan, 76, a frail pensioner who has been sleeping in his destroyed caravan since last Monday, embraced Shellharbour's Glenda Adamson as she donated bags of groceries on Saturday morning.Mr Rowan is one of many residents ignored by authorities after last Monday's floods wiped out 173 of the Barrack Point park's 180 homes.On Saturday, the Mercury reported residents were living in deplorable conditions and begging for food because they had been unable to get government assistance."We saw the story in the paper and to be honest, I swore and said to my husband 'nobody is helping these poor people'," Mrs Adamson said. "This is the least we can do."The park's administration office fielded more than two dozen calls before midday on Saturday, with offers of food, clothing, furniture and emergency accommodation.The caravan park's manager, Leonie Sargeant, said about 50 people had arrived in person during the weekend offering assistance, on top of SES personnel and Illawarra-South Coast Emergency Management police.Some volunteers brought buckets and cleaning supplies, but a quirk in insurance requirements meant would-be helpers could only go so far."People can't clean their vans up because the insurance companies don't come down until Tuesday [tomorrow] or Wednesday, and they're saying not to touch it until [the damage has been assessed]," Ms Sargeant said.Barrack Heights resident Evelyn Rees visited the park on Saturday and offered to buy a mattress for anyone that needed it. She also offered to wash residents' mud-crusted clothing."I think we've been all so focused on ourselves and getting through the week that we have forgotten about these people," she said."If I was in their predicament I would be needing every bit of help I could get."I read in the Mercury what was happening here and ... I knew I had to come here and help."Twenty Shellharbour Community Church members cooked a barbecue for the residents on Saturday morning and distributed frozen home-cooked meals."It's probably the least any of us can do for them," Pastor Shane Cook said.Casual resident Vivienne Bianchi was moved to tears."It shows us people care," Mrs Bianchi said."I can't explain how much that means right now."The area was declared a natural disaster area on Tuesday, triggering State Government assistance.However, residents must be uninsured to qualify for any financial help.The Federal Government has not activated a scheme to provide immediate $1000 payments to each affected adult, as it did after the Queensland and Victorian floods.
© 2011 Illawarra Mercury
