A SMALL retirement village and community centre in Cooranbong have raised an impressive $42,500 in one month for drought-stricken farmers in NSW.
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The Avondale Lifestyle Community, on Freemans Drive, is distributing the money to farmers in the remote Pilliga and Gwabegar areas in the north-east of the state.
Lionel Smith, a resident at Avondale Lifestyle Community, and head of its community outreach committee, is driving the fundraiser.
He said the Seventh-day Adventist-run facility was pitching in to help farmers, like Australians were everywhere.
He said every farming family in the region would receive supermarket gift cards and food hampers packaged by local church members out of Narrabri.
The packages would be delivered farm gate to farm gate to ensure no farming family was missed.
“Having witnessed the devastation first hand I knew that it was just so widespread that no one fundraiser or organisation could possibly be big enough to make an impact”, Mr Smith said.
“I also knew that we as a community could mobilise quickly and do our part to help.”
Adventist Senior Living CEO, David Knight, was so impressed with the depth of compassion and care shown by his village residents that he jumped quickly on board.
“As an organisation founded in care our mission extends far beyond the borders of our community," Mr Knight said.
“We hold every single farmer and their families - no matter their faith - in our hearts, and are determined to help ease the extreme stresses facing these families.
“Residents in our retirement village have donated over $17,500 to the cause thus far. As an organisation we have matched that with another $15,000 and the local volunteer-run Cooranbong Community Services Centre, manned largely by village residents, has donated a further $10,000.”
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In addition, Adventist Senior Living staff across the organisation have asked that they also have a platform for donation.
To enable that, the village has partnered with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) to raise further funds, 100 per cent of which would also be distributed as cash cards to farmers, giving them the most flexible means of support, Mr Knight said.
“We encourage everyone in the community to support our famers.”
To donate, visit droughtrelief.gofundraise.com.au/page/DavidKnight4
All monies are remitted directly to ADRA, Mr Knight said.