After the Northern Rivers was hit by the floods caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie (See my blog from last week if you need to catch up on this), my community has begun the long and tough process of putting the pieces back together.
Thousands of people have been affected – whether their home was flooded and belongings destroyed, or their business inundated with water and forced to close for the time being.
For me, I was lucky – my home, in a village nearby Lismore, was safe from the floods, as was my workplace.
However I couldn’t remain idle.
As soon as the floodwaters eased, I tried to help where I could – physically helping with the clean up efforts at my cousin Timmay’s business, and at my poor dance studio, donating items to friends in need, and donating financially to crowdfunding efforts to help the town as a whole and my favourite businesses individually get back on their feet.
It has been truly heartwarming to see the whole community come together in the wake of this disaster – it’s been beautiful to see the thousands of volunteers put their hands up to help strangers, warehouses packed to the brim with donations of furniture, clothing and blankets etc, and just the general compassion shown to everyone effected.
I guess sometimes it takes the rain to bring out the rainbow.
But, that being said, it’s going to take a lot to help the residents and businesses of Lismore get back to where they should be.
You can help by donating to the official Lismore Flood Appeal here.
