Page 4 - 2020-03-Rotary-on-the-Move-Newsletter-Zone-8

‘SUPPORT FOR DROUGHT AFFECTED FAMILIES

IN CENTRAL WESTERN NSW’

Adapted from an article by PP Brian Morrison, Rotary Club of Milton-Ulladulla

The Rotary Club of Milton-Ulladulla, District 9710 NSW, arranged a Christmas gathering for the farming district of
Tallimba, a small town about 40 km to the west of Wyalong in the Central West of NSW. The farming community in
this area is struggling to live in an environment that is almost without water. In a good season the farms in this area
grow wheat and barley and run sheep for wool. It is now over three years since they have had a reasonable crop of
wheat and the sheep are being sold off because they can't afford to hand feed them.

The event was organised by PP Dale Wilford, a shoebox appeal was initiated by Club member Ali Tyquin, PE Leonie
Smith managed to get 50 free unisex Christmas showbags for Tallimba Drought Relief Appeal through ‘Absolute
Showbags’ including free postage and with the help of others from the Milton-Ulladulla district, the event received
a welcome boost from local, Wendy Kilborn, who was able to secure a range of items from Milton-Ulladulla
businesses to also be donated to families.
Rotarians liaised with members of the Rotary Club of West Wyalong, District 9700 and with friends made the 500-
kilometre trek out to Tallimba in late November 2019 in several vehicles including one truck that travelled from
Ulladulla taking gifts of food and water for the families and Christmas presents for the children along with a $3,000
donation to be given to the community in the form of gift vouchers for local shops. More than 100 shoeboxes filled
with children’s gifts were donated mainly by members of the Rotary Club of Milton-Ulladulla. Wendy collected
cartons of pantry items, pet food and toys, cleaning accoutrements and new children’s clothing available for the
families to select, all donated by the community of Milton-Ulladulla.
Four pallet loads of clear spring water, also collected by Wendy, in ten litre containers were delivered for use in the
homes of local farmers and the Tallimba primary school where the tap water is brown and unpalatable.

Shoeboxes were filled to create age L-R Wendy Kilborn, daughter Alysha, PP Brian Morrison, Friend of
appropriate gifts for all of the Rotary Col Tyquin, PP Craig Cameron and PP Dale Wilford, other
children from infants to 17 years. helpers not pictured are David Kilborn and Denise Fors.

A barbecue hosted by the Rotary Club of
West Wyalong was much-appreciated
by the more than 150 people, 30 local
families, who turned up to enjoy the
Christmas spirit and the showing of the
movie Aladdin with loads of popcorn for
the younger family participants.

The Rotary Club of Milton-Ulladulla’s
vice-president PP Brian Morrison said
it was a heart-warming occasion.
"Everyone was overjoyed that people Alysha and mother Wendy
from the coast would come so far to do Kilborn in front of the gifts
this," he said.

The simple fact that other parts of NSW are thinking about distant farming communities that are struggling in this
very severe drought, gave them a boost. “It was truly wonderful to see the people of Tallimba smiling and happy
when you know that they have not had much to smile about for some years”, Brian said.

Rotary on the Move March 2020 Page 4