Australian Bushfires UPDATE: FEB 9th- 2020:
Please help the Australian bush fire victims and the vulnerable animals who have been badly burned- it crushes me to see my homeland like this. Australia has been burning out of control with 1000’s of fires and the rains over the past 5 days have brought much relief. The fires have killed over a billion animals.
The wildfires have turned southeast Australia into a charred, apocalyptic nightmare and threaten to wipe out entire species of animals.
1000’s of lives, homes, and farms are gone and the humans have suffered greatly too.
Third Wave Volunteers have been helping the animal rescue shelters and fire victims as well.
My brother Geoff is a preacher in a church on the south coast of Australia and has been helping comfort local farmers who have lost everything in the fire.
A few days ago he told me about the Moore Brothers family. Tom Moore is an elder who attends his aboriginal gathering.
Not long ago Uncle Moore received the highest honor from Queen Elizabeth the 2nd and Aussie Govt in the Order of Australia for running indigenous projects. My brother meets with him regularly. The farm was granted to them from the Govt to be a cultural center. The aboriginal world is full of complex stories and Geoff deeply vouches for them. My brother Geoff is a solid man of his word.
Third Wave Volunteers have just donated 2300$ of your great donations towards their recovery.
Please donate towards their cause-
Love Dr. Alison Thompson – Founder Third Wave Volunteers.
Their story is below:
“It is with a heavy heart and complete sadness that I announce that Richard, myself and our family have lost everything on our family farm due to the ongoing bushfires here on the South Coast of Australia. My husband Richard Scott-Moore (Goombine) from the Yuin Nation and his family are the Traditional Land Owners of a piece of land roughly 1,100 acres in size. The land is home to many sacred sites and was home to my husband’s ancestors who lived, prayed, hunted, gathered and danced.
The land is also home to an abundance of wildlife including kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, goannas, snakes, possums, deer and so many species of birds. Because this land is a sacred place, the family devoted their energy to protect it from overdevelopment thus ensuring the continued prosperity of the natural ecosystems which supported all forms of wildlife.
The farm was used to provide cultural activities and resources to schools, community groups, and organizations in and around Australia. It was a gathering place to bring family together for celebrations and unity.
So many memories and good times were shared by hundreds of visitors to the farm. The family lost everything in the fire. At the farm, the following buildings have been destroyed:-
The cabins that slept, 160 people-
The dining hall which sat 300 people-
The house- The tool shed and all its belongings –
The chapel –
The meeting rooms- The gymnasium –
The mega kitchen with a walk-in fridge and freezer and all of its industrial ovens and cookery
On top of that, we’ve also lost multiple farm vehicles and machinery. The tires literally melted off the tractors. An estimated cost of $2,100,000.00 is needed to replace what once was.
Hopefully, through this fundraiser it will help offset some of the costs and lift the stress from the family. Funds raised from this campaign will go towards reestablishing the farm as a cultural gathering place.
Thank you to all of you who have reached out to offer support. Your kindness and generosity have lifted our spirits.
In kindness,
Candace Scott-Moore (Wilde) Anishinaabe
