Hello to all our WERN Team and supporters,
As you all know Victoria along with many other parts of Australia have been inundated with floods even in our own backyard. WERN can be well-placed to assist those families impacted by these floods, particularly within our own catchment. Through our partnerships with several of the Council’s severely impacted WERN can direct the assistance available direct to the families as soon as it is needed. As with most disasters immediate assistance is the crucial needs, safety, food and temporary housing understandably come first, restoration follows at different speeds for different circumstances, but the families will certainly need support.
Working through our partner agencies will be efficient and conversations have commenced. Once demand commences it is anticipated there will be need for additional volunteers to assist with the full range of warehouse and pickup activities. If you can assist with any volunteering duties during the week or on Saturdays, please let me know so we can start to plan what our capacities are going to be.
WERN needs Rotary Clubs, Members and our Community to help meet this challenge, we will need increased donations of goods, increased numbers of volunteers and longer operating hours to meet any anticipated demand. Please ask friends and family if they too could be available over the short term in preparation for the anticipated demand. I have attached a Volunteers Application Form for anyone new to WERN to complete and even a few extra shifts will help us to prepare and commit to helping these families and you might even get to like us and what we do, but certainly no pressure.
These challenges are where Emergency in our WERN Name comes to the fore and I am sure like me you are feeling the pain for those communities affected. Ever wanted to help your neighbour, now’s the time to start and with WERN you can do it effectively and have an immediate impact.
If you can help a little more than usual, provide a few days assistance or introduce a new volunteer or two to WERN please let me know as soon as possible, it won’t be an immediate start(unless you want to) but we will stagger the commencement dates for training and demand purposes in the coming few weeks.
Please also let your networks know we need donations also in line with the attached brochure.
Warm Regards,
Ross
Ross Butterworth
Administration Manager, Western Emergency Relief Network (WERN)
Administration Manager, Western Emergency Relief Network (WERN)
Rotary International District 9800
District Governor 2013-2014
District Governor 2013-2014
23 Westwood Dve., RAVENHALL, VIC, 3023
Phone: 8372 4110 M: 0411 228 311 E: administration@wern.org
For more of our story visit Western Emergency Relief Network (WERN) at: www.wern.org