TWENTY-eighteen marks the 70^th anniversary since the Australian ladies of the red cross rattled their first tin for the common good.

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And on Friday, the Nambucca Valley officially launched its Red Cross Calling campaign.

Students and volunteers will be coming to a door near you over the coming month for any financial kindness you can offer.

Your money will go towards helping the eye-popping list of Australian and international aid and service programs that Red Cross offer, but more about that later.

The theme of this prestigious milestone for the annual door-knocking campaign: “When Red Cross calls, Australia answers”.

And that theme was never more appropriate than for the Nambucca.

In our little shire, we continually pull above our weight in per capita donations.

“Two years ago Nambucca Heads High finished second out of all country schools participating in the 2017 Red Cross Calling for their fundraising efforts,” Nambucca Valley branch president Lesley Smith said.

“And for us Red Cross calling is more than a fundraiser – it gives us a reason to connect with our community.”

Regional Manager NSW at Australian Red Cross Janelle Cazaubon said the average annual street by street donation they receive from the Vaucluse area was $148, but the average for the Coffs Coast region was $258 in comparison.

And in 2013, the Nambucca Valley branch of the Red Cross was awarded for the second time the Margaret Waddell Country Achievement Cup – for services and fundraising activities, to which the Little Red Shoppe on Bowra St, Nambucca Heads, plays a lion’s part.

“I think we’re all a little more aware that eventually the day will come that we’ll need someone else. And isn’t it wonderful that we have those people in this community to be there for us, when we need,” the mayor said before officially launching the Nambucca Valley’s 2018 Red Cross Calling campaign.

List of Red Cross activities (where your money goes)

“While the majority of your money goes to Red Cross Australia, we do support an international effort for peace too,” Ms Cazaubon said.

“The role of Red Cross is to prevent conflict and to prevent people from having to leave their homes.

Last year we negotiated the release of 100 girls held captive by Boko Haram.

“Red Cross is currently providing assistance to people in need in Syria, and to the Rohingya people in Myanmar.

“We’re able to respond really quickly to emergency situations overseas because of the good work you do.”

She then went on to explain that while most Australians have a ‘bloods and floods’ association when they thought of Red Cross, that the majority of the work the organisation does in Australia is social welfare-based.

‘Mate Scheme’ and Telecall social inclusion program – where members of the community are given daily telephone calls to check in.
Justice system work: Creation of a grass-roots Red Cross program in St Heliers prison in which inmate Red Cross volunteers have self-devise programs like ‘weapons amnesties’ parenting classes, handwashing campaigns to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, and general OH&S checks.
Bringing a similar system of aid through self-determination to remote Australian communities.
Food and Meal programs
Food literacy programs in schools
The emergency situation ‘Pillowcase Project’ which educates kids on being prepared when disaster strikes.
Young parents program for at-risk mothers.
Knitted care packs for newborns

“There are so many things that we do, but our role is really to help the most vulnerable – we’re looking for the people who fall through the gaps and how best to help them,” Ms Cazaubon said.

The Nambucca’s Effect

Beatrice Fuller at last Friday's morning tea launch

Beatrice Fuller used to be the president of the Macksville branch of the Red Cross, she is now patron of the Nambucca Valley branch.

She recounts a time when the Nambucca Valley played an enormous role in the aftermath of a tragedy.

It was 1989, and it is still Australia’s worst road accident.

BACKGROUND: Kempsey bus crash

Beatrice sprang to action, collecting a purse-full of coins and high-tailing it to the Macksville hospital.

She proceeded to make an itemised list of belongings that the Kempsey bus crash victims had lost during the collision.

Beatrice then repeatedly drove to the crash site, scouring through the debris to find those (often sentimental – a wedding ring, knee rugs) possessions and reunite them with their owners.

She said she can still remember the smell to this day.