BY LYN BAILEY
Blaze Aid Volunteer
AS we reach the end of the first week in November, here at BlazeAid we reflect on the devastation wrought in the heat and fury of Black Saturday and its aftermath.Over the past nine months, all of us here at BlazeAid have been touched by stories of the sorrow and heartache of February 7 2009, and have seen the resulting property loss and damage.
For our volunteers it’s been an honour to assist the Black Saturday survivors.
We’ve not only helped with rebuilding fences, but also been privileged to offer a hand in friendship and compassion as we share the survivors’ stories, and often a few tears, offering friendship and support, instead of isolation and despair.
Volunteers of all ages - from young children to students, from young adults to retirees in their 70s and 80 - have heeded Kevin Butler’s call to come "with charity in their hearts and a crowbar in their hands."
The support and encouragement we’ve received has motivated us to work through the heat, the ash and the dust of the initial days of BlazeAid, through the below-zero overnight temperatures and the frosty mornings and cold, icy winds of winter.
The hours have been long, the work hard, the terrain unforgiving, but the inspiration of Kevin’s leadership and the community and camaraderie of Kev’s Wool Shed has attracted volunteers who’ve stayed for weeks or months beyond what they’d planned.
BlazeAid volunteers have not only helped the survivors, but have enjoyed the warmth of being part of the community of Kev’s Wool Shed, with a wonderful sense of purpose and fulfilment each day.
More than 3,200 volunteers have been inspired to come from all parts of Australia and from many countries across the world to lend a hand and rekindle the Aussie spirit of mateship in times of trouble.
As well as the need of farmers, such as Rhonda and Kevin Butler, to contain sheep or cattle, there are many reasons why a fence is so important to property owners.
For some, it’s simply a matter of redefining their boundary – an indication of where their property starts and ends. For others, it’s being able to keep pets in or wildlife out.
Perhaps it’s to deter "sightseers" from intruding on the rawness of their loss, or to stop trespassers from infringing into their space from the adjoining National Park.
For many, it’s been the joy of bringing home horses or ponies after many months of separation.
Whatever the reason, rebuilding a "simple" fence has been a huge step on the road to recovery.
From a humble wool shed in Kilmore East, amazing results have been achieved.
Every day, for seven days a week since February 8 2009, our volunteers have worked tirelessly but cheerfully alongside bushfire property survivors.
In this time, we’ve helped rebuild fences on approximately 500 properties in the Kilmore East to Kinglake Fire Complex.
We’ve rolled up 700 km of burnt fencing, rebuilt more than 500 km of fences and run out enough wire to circle the globe!
For nine months, Rhonda and Kevin have worked tirelessly, not only co-ordinating fencing teams, but also raising funds to purchase fencing tools and equipment, providing meals and accommodation, and assuring the general well-being of their volunteers.
While Kevin is the "face" of BlazeAid, Rhonda works long hours quietly and diligently behind the scenes.
Rhonda not only provides support and advice for Kevin, but also co-ordinates the massive task of preparing over 35,000 meals for their "army" of volunteers.
They have welcomed countless strangers on to their farm and into their lives, and made lasting friendships along the way.
By avoiding the red tape and bureaucracy that hinders so many organisations, Rhonda and Kevin have got on with the job of rebuilding fences.
The contract value of BlazeAid’s fencing can be estimated at around $7 million, with approx 20,000 volunteer days of work contributed to our communities. The humanitarian value is priceless.
As BlazeAid winds down, the tools and equipment will be placed into shipping containers, ready to respond after the next fire event.
Procedures will be written, outlining how BlazeAid runs, and why it’s been so successful, so that the knowledge and achievements of BlazeAid can be of an enduring nature, assisting bushfire-affected Australians into the future.
The unheralded success of BlazeAid could not have been achieved without the generosity and support of countless individuals, businesses and organisations, including volunteers, people from all across the country who have donated money, tools, food, etc, locals who have provided accommodation for volunteers, local businesses who have provided advice or discounts, and people who’ve given gifts for distribution to the survivors.
As the end of our fencing program approaches, Rhonda and Kevin Butler extend a warm invitation to all property owners we’ve assisted, and to all BlazeAid volunteers and supporters (including our catering volunteers, and the many people who’ve provided local accommodation for our volunteers) to join us at Kev’s Wool Shed for our farewell.
We’ll be gathering at approximately 12.30pm on Sunday, November 15, for an afternoon of friendship, reminiscing and laughter.
To assist with catering for our BBQ lunch on the day, we ask guests to bring a plate of food (salad or dessert) and BYO drinks.
Please RSVP to Lyn or Janet on 03 5782 2480 or via email, , and let them know the number of people coming and what food you’ll be bringing.Rhonda and Kevin would be delighted if you could share the afternoon with them and their extended BlazeAid family.
