A phone call from a Sydney school teacher to the Braidwood CWA secretary was the catalyst for a generous donation of much-needed drought relief funds to the Braidwood Life Centre on Saturday.
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Margaret Shea recalls that it was some months ago that she received the phone call from Kate, a teacher at Sans Souci Public School, where the school community had been raising money for drought-affected farmers.
Ms Shea says, “after Kate made some more enquiries locally, the decision was made to donate the funds raised to Braidwood”.
Last Saturday, community members from Braidwood Life Centre and Braidwood CWA gathered at the Braidwood Life Centre to greet and welcome four teachers with their families, who drove from Sydney to Braidwood to make the presentation of the money they had raised.
Maria Bakas, from the Life Centre, said, “the Sans Souci group came with offerings of joy, well-wishes and blessings for rain, and a cheque for $14,246.69. The money was donated straight to the Braidwood Life Centre to support the work of assisting individuals and families in the Braidwood area doing it hard at the moment”.
Kate Dobosz, the teacher who had initially contacted the CWA, and organiser of the family and community fundraising team at Sans Souci, spoke to the group, describing how this amazing effort took place.
Sans Souci Primary School children, their families and teachers enthusiastically supported Ms Dobosz’s passionate vision to assist those in need. She shared her experience in raising funds through raffles and auctions and said it was “a team effort,” adding that it is important to educate students on how important it is to help out different communities particularly ones in need. Ms Dobosz explored through various efforts to find a place for the donation where it would go directly to community. She found Braidwood Life Centre.
After making the trip from Sydney to Braidwood, Kate Dobosz, along with colleagues, Heather, Jolissa and Liz, the Sans Souci deputy principal, were delighted to hand over the cheque so the donation could be used to support farmers in the district who are struggling as a result of the prolonged dry.
The Braidwood Life Centre committee members and volunteers, with community members from the CWA were deeply moved by the love and generosity of the Sans Souci school community.
Following the formal donation of the cheque, the group stayed for afternoon tea with the Life Centre and CWA members.
Sans souci, in French, means ‘without worry’, and the money donated will assist to lift the worries of some of our hardest-hit families.