Busy as bees

By Bridget Cook
LOCAL residents and groups have displayed great acts of community spirit, working together to clean up Hampton Park homes devastated by February’s floods.
About 40 people from the Winepress Church, Hampton Park Progress Association, Hampton Park Renewal Group and local residents joined forces this month for a working bee to help clean up many homes in Mary and Robjant street’s, Hampton Park – one of the worst affected areas in the south east during the deluge.
The Winepress Church provided members for labour and organisation, the progress association provided food and drinks for a barbecue and helpers and the renewal group made phone calls and copies of information for residents.
Progress Association president Warren Calder donated his time and mini-tip truck and carted about 20 loads of destroyed goods throughout the day.
The group cleaned up about 10 houses on the day, with little jobs to more extensive jobs, including ripping out people’s damaged ducted heating.
Member of the Hampton Park Community Renewal committee Michele Halsall, who has been a driving force in the community with helping people get back on their feet, said the working bee was a great success.
“Everyone was so appreciative with what we were doing,” she said.
“I’ve never seen smiles as big as the ones on the residents’ faces at the end of the day. They were so lifted and it put more energy into their step.”
Ms Halsall said they helped the residents in a number of ways.
“We helped clear out homes and garages, but also helped with smaller jobs,” she said.
“Even getting their lawns mowed made such a difference to them. All their gardening equipment was wrecked, so even the residents not living there at the moment were so appreciative of someone offering to mow their lawn. It was one thing that they didn’t have to worry about for that week.”
Ms Halsall has been working with one particular family in the area since the floods, who were not insured, and the working bee made a huge difference to them.
“I have been with these residents for over a month now and the difference that this working bee made in their lives was more than I could have hoped for,” she said.
“I have not seen them smile so much or talk to each other so much. It was a carefree, happy day for them.”
Mr Halsall said residents affected by floods were entitled to a number of grants.
She encouraged residents to call City of Casey Emergency Recovery Officer Janine Nolan on 9705 5200 to find out what they were entitled to.
A video has been created from the working bee. It can be found on the ‘Casey Floods Feb 2011’ Facebook page.