Like being an extra in a disaster movie...

One of the thousands of volunteers who spent the weekend helping the clear-up in Brisbane, sent us an e-mail describing the experience.

"....[It] really hit home how devastating it is for people on a personal level, how vast it is, and how long the recovery does and will take. It really hit home the reality of it all.

 

It is really weird living on the northside where we are - and not affected at all. Coming home yesterday, it was like passing into another world.  I almost felt like I had just been an extra on one of those disaster movies, and then coming home for the night of normality with a comfortable bed and a clean house. Very very weird. We feel very very fortunate at this point in time..." 

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More great support - and the conundrum solved

Cooktown's Top Pub will be raising funds for the Flood Appeal on Australia Day, Wednesday, 26 January. There'll be plenty of live music and entertainment, so come along, have fun, and support a great cause at the same time. More information from Brenda or Jenny, Ph (07) 4069 5308.

Also on Australia Day, the Bloomfield Memorial Association will be raising funds at The Tin Shed, Ayton, from 12.00pm onwards. Great Aussie music, lucky door prizes, give-aways for kids, Toss the Boot and other games, and a sausage sizzle ($2). Everyone welcome. Bring a plate of nibbles to share. More information from Peter (07) 4060 8092.

The $$ are also rolling in with collection jars all over town, and generous donations pledged by Cooktown Auto Repairs, the Croc Shop and Cooktown Chamber of Commerce & Tourism. Adventure North Australia is donating $5.00 per tour passenger until further notice, and Cooktown's wonderful SheeSha Fusion Bellydancers have offered to perform in aid of the appeal. Details to come when we've sorted out the Events Calendar. 

And we've solved the long-distance tarot card reading conundrum! Thanks to @Fayes4Art - better known here as Faye Pini from the Cooktown School of Art - who suggested doing live readings on chat via webcam. More details later.

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More pledges confirmed - and a logistical conundrum

More pledges confirmed today...

Cooktown Motel Pam's Place will donate 10% of its accommodation revenue until 21 April 2011. 

The Cooktown RSL Memorial Club is holding a fund-raising evening on Friday, 4 February, with plenty of entertainment including a live band. They've already collected more than $3,000 worth of donated raffle prizes. Tickets are on sale at businesses around town. More information from John - 0414 250 090.

The Cooktown Newsagents are collecting cash donations, and Ian has offered his considerable artistic talents for any posters needed.  

We've also had a great offer of free tarot card readings from Twitter friend @GumBootSally. There are a few logistics to sort out (she's over 2,000 kms away in the flood zone) so if you've any bright ideas how we can make this work, please let us know!

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Passion we have, and challenges too...

Progress is being made! E-mails are flying with plans for the Australia Day Event, and we've received the following pledges:

Guurrbi Tours is donating 10% of its tour income between now and 21 April 2011. 

Subject to confirmation from the National Trust, the James Cook Museum will donate $1 for each adult visitor until 31 March. (Our best wishes to the staff in NT's Queensland HQ, which is in Brisbane's flooded CBD.)

Cooktown Paradise Realty will be holding an Auction with all proceeds going to Cooktown Cares on Saturday, 29 January, 10am. Location to be advised. Please help with good quality, second-hand goods - household items, books - anything that can be auctioned! Phone Barbara Hay (07) 4069 5922 or 0418 695 922 for more information.

And thank you to Terry Rayner, from Endeavour River Escape, who was giving away boxes of passion fruit in town yesterday. With the markets in Brisbane flooded, and roads blocked, he wanted to share his harvest rather than see it go to waste. We might be a long way from the floods, but their impact is still felt.

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The ideas are flowing...

Eight of us got together at Nature's Powerhouse to start co-ordinating Cooktown Cares. A big 'Flood Aid' event on Australia Day, 26 January, was proposed, with other events running between now and Easter. The Powerhouse is planning to run a Fashion Show in February, and with so many terrific musicians in the region there'll be a big concert somewhere along the line. The Cooktown Lion's Club is on board as Treasurer.

We need to find a major sponsor to match what we raise.  Any offers out there? 

How to donate or make a pledge 

 

How to donate

Here are ways you can make a donation:

• Pay your donation into the Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal account at Cooktown's ANZ or Westpac banks 
• Support the local businesses and community groups donating funds or collecting around town
• Join in one of the fund-raising events - or organise your own!
• If you'd like to donate a percentage of your sales, or a $ amount per visitor, e-mail your pledge to cooktowncares@gmail.com  

In all cases a tally is being kept so your donation will be added in to a Cooktown Grand Total, which we hope will be matched by a generous sponsor.

If you're unable to do any of the above, you can donate to the Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal online. If you would like your donation to be included in the Cooktown Grand Total, please e-mail details of your donation to cooktowncares@gmail.com

Thank you for your generosity.

A fantastic response...

Two of us spent this morning ringing businesses to see if they would support Cooktown Cares. We had two hours before deadline to get a feature in this week's local paper. What an overwhelming response! Everybody likes the idea of donating a % of visitor spend, and we already have pledges of support from James Cook Museum, Guurrbi Tours, Cooktown Motel Pam's Place, Sovereign Resort, Seaview Motel, Cooktown Holiday Park, Coral Princess Cruises, Cooktown's Bargain Barn, Milkwood Lodge, Alamanda Inn, the Croc Shop and the Mayor. Paradise Realty want to hold an Auction, and the Cooktown Local News has also pledged its support, and is making space on the front page of this week's issue so we can start getting the word out.

Oh - and we mustn't forget Queensland Online's James Davison, who came up with the name 'Cooktown Cares' and is contributing his IT expertise. Thank you JD!

How to donate or make a pledge