WERN Story

 

I wanted to send a short email to pass on a lovely ending to a dramatic story at WERN over the last week or so.

 

I received a call from a Sunshine school looking for support for a family the school has recently accepted into their community. The Family of a single mum and five children had a back ground of Domestic Violence before the father decided he wanted to take them for a ‘holiday for a family celebration’ to his birthplace in Burma around Easter last year.

 

Reluctantly they made their travel plans but not long after arriving in Burma the borders to  Australia were closed due to the Pandemic and the family were stranded in a remote village where, shortly after the father abandoned them with no income or way of returning home to Australia. Through Consular assistance and help the family finally made it to Sydney in September where they quarantined and then taken to a Melbourne Women’s Shelter. The Children are now back at school after missing all of 2020 and the family has been provided rental assistance through the School. After many weeks of sleeping on the floor and coping with no furniture in the house the school was finally advised of WERN and got in touch.

 

As the School is not a member of the WERN Network a Member Rotary Club was needed to sponsor the family to the WERN Warehouse. I am very proud to advise the Rotary Club of Caroline Springs stepped up and hosted the family and were able to provide the house lot of furniture required to make the house a home and comfortable for mum and the children. Tears all round when the School Principal and a colleague picked up the furniture and delivered to the family.

 

The feedback received from the School was ‘the family were totally overwhelmed by the generosity of your organisation.   They could not believe that people who don’t even know them care. The items were put to good use straight away and the children were very excited to have furniture in their house.  Please pass on our sincere thanks to the Caroline Springs Rotary Club for agreeing to sponsor the family.‘

 

A Letter sent by one of the children is included above, please take a moment to appreciate the sentiment from just one of the many families for what you as volunteers do every time you provide your time at WERN, you are changing Australian lives through the Power of Rotary and the WERN program. 

 

I think we can often overlook the benefits provided through WERN and what our efforts go towards collectively regardless of hours or duties performed they are all important, please don’t under-estimate the difference you make. WERN has now over-taken the pre-COVID levels of support provided with demand higher than ever.

 

Thank you for what you do towards this amazing program and Thank you to all the Rotary Clubs who make WERN possible, please know you are making a huge difference in people’s lives every day through your support of WERN as Clubs and as volunteers wherever you can. 

 

Please share this story with your Clubs or wherever you wish and please contact me if you have any time to give as a volunteer at WERN. Demand for our service has never been stronger and we are Changing Lives every day. WERN Representatives are always available to address your Clubs whenever desired.

 

Warm Regards,

Ross

Ross Butterworth
Administration Manager, Western Emergency Relief Network (WERN)

Rotary International District 9800
District Governor 2013-2014

8 Jamieson Court, Eynesbury Victoria 3338 Australia
M: 0411 228 311 | E: administration@wern.org