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Thursday, January 13, 2011

Quilters for Queensland


As the news unfolds and the days pass, we see with horror and broken hearts what our friends in Queensland, Australia are facing. It’s going to be a LONG road.

I came across this pic of a man rescuing a boat load of kangaroos and my heart is filled with hope! ((However, I have to wonder exactly what is going on in the kangaroos heads and what they are saying to each other in their kangaroo-speak about this hunky guy and his boat!! Likewise, he could come rescue me ANY DAY! LOL!))

I’ve watched the news in my hotel room and at the airport while I was gone. I’ve also followed links from Tazzie’s blog to get more info. ((Who else to give me the right information, than an Aussie-friend?!))

The local papers there are full of stories, and readers are sending in their own pictures to document the destruction to their lives. Here is a link to The Australian.

I just can’t imagine facing this mess. I’m looking around me at a basement studio full of all my quilting needs. All the sentimental gatherings from my life as a quilter. What would you do……if it was all gone, just like that?

There are ways to donate online to help. Yes, the quilters are going to need new quilting supplies, etc, but LONG LONG before that, they are going to need help restoring their homes. Those of us so far away could find it cost prohibitive to ship real items from home, even if we want to. Fabric is HEAVY! But --- we can DONATE. The funds will be used for food, shelter, medical care, whatever is needed NOW. Fabric and sewing supplies can come later. Giving a sewing machine to a homeless person, no matter how nice a gesture is just really not realistic right now. Click here to donate!



I just did. And I’ll probably do it again down the road. It's tax deductible!

Through any disaster there are amazing stories of resilience, endurance, perseverance and most of all HOPE. We can be that hope for so many. Imagine if we all just donated 10 dollars? or 20?

Bloggers unite as well!! We can fund raise to help out. Visit Make It Perfect to find out more info on how this blogosphere of ours is pulling together to do what we can to help. You just might be inspired to make a difference.

Spread the word! Feel free to just put a link-back to this blog entry or Tazzie’s on your own blog to have your readers “get informed”. Let’s keep these folks in our thoughts and prayers and be moved to action to do what we can.

20 comments:

  1. Hey, nice post. I am in South Australia, (down the bottom), and it has been heartbreaking to watch this unfold. Some friends and i are getting together this weekend to quilt up - lots of bright quilts for kids, babies, adults. They are not needed now - but they will be. Australians have a huge sense of community, and we are strong together. We will rebuild. And when it starts, we will have something to offer (besides collecting blankets, kids clothes etc). Perhaps other Aussie quilters could join us?:)
    Timelady:)

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  2. It is going to take a long time for this area to recover...when the time is right I'd love to send a quilt down. As it is I've contributed.

    The stitchers over at Among the Gumtree are putting together some sewing caddies - a little kit to do some hand-stitching (which we all know is therapeutic in its own right.)

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  3. Bonnie, you did make me laugh about what was going on in the kangaroo's heads. They look quite content there, don't they? A couple of years ago we were evacuated due to fire. It was one of the most heartbreaking and devestating things I have ever had to do. It was a case of get the pets (the weiro ended up in a pillowcase), get our emergency bag and get out. We were so lucky we could come back again the following day. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like.

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  4. Anonymous10:01 AM EST

    I've had some minor flooding in my basement from time to time that resulted in losing some things that I probably shouldn't have stored there in the first place, but I can't begin to imagine the scale of loss that these flood victims are facing.

    This is not a broom and mop clean-up job. It takes years to put your life back together after a catastrophic event like this--as the the victims of Hurricane Katrina know firsthand.

    Gail :)

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  5. Thanks for sharing practical advice and a way to donate, Bonnie. A good friend of mine lives in Dalby, teaches in Toowoomba, and is currently stranded in Brisbane. Makes the whole thing way too real, even from thousands of miles away.

    US readers - AUS is one of the best friends and allies our country has. Let's give 'em a hand.

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  6. Thanks for letting us know about this relief fund, Bonnie. My cousin was helicopter rescued from the top of his water tower. His entire ranch is under water. First years of drought and now this. It's a tough life for them.

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  7. Thank you for posting this info, Bonnie! I've been reading about the flooding and it sounds horrific... now I know how I can help.

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  8. Hi Bonnie - it is wonderful of you to put this on your blog - the plight of my fellow Australians in Queensland is terrible - we will all do what we can. I have three Auctions up for this through Make It Perfect - one of my auctions is open to International bidders the link is (http://janemonkstudio.blogspot.com/p/auction-2.html) Thank you for your kind words and thoughts. Jane Monk

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  9. Bonnie thank you so much for posting this. We are putting together as I told you little "starter packs" fabrics, needles, patterns etc to distribute once anyone has time to think about sewing again. But way before that we are all on clean up duty - once the water goes down. We are nervously watching a low off the Queensland coast and hoping it doesn't whip itself into a cyclone - we have bright blue skies and sunshine here at the moment - we don't need any more rain just yet. Fortunately there has been very little loss of life - although even one life is irreplaceable - this time we had a full day and a bit warning to get packed, get out and move to higher ground unlike 1974 - all in all there is a lot to be grateful for. To give you some indication of the scale in your hurricane Katrina disaster some 270,000 square kilometers was affected in Queensland at the moment 75 % of the state - over 1,000,000 square kilometers has been declared a disaster zone.
    Thank you for your support - we have been lucky where we live but so many others have lost everything.

    Angela - daisymum

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  10. Anonymous4:54 PM EST

    Dear Bonnie
    Thank you for your support and your wonderful post, it is very much appreciated.
    We live in Brisbane and lucky are 20 klm away from the City centre and can't believe what has happened, there are still so many people missing.
    I have joined the Premier Flood Appeal and have an Auction for a quilt going, hope you don't mind I put my blog link on the bottom of this post.

    http://onceuponaquilt.blogspot

    Thank you from the bottom of my heart
    quilting hugs
    Christine
    Bribane/Australia

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  11. Anonymous6:08 PM EST

    Thank you for your post Bonnie. I am in Queensland, and while our town centre flooded, we are okay. The clean up is going to take ages. Already some towns have run out of petrol and food. Prices will sky rocket as deliveries can't get through. Much of the water and rain is now travelling down the country through New South Wales and Victoria - this is such a massive disaster.

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  12. Thank you so much Bonnie, it's just wonderful how communities band together in times of crisis, and here we are, a quilting and blogging community doing just that. You're a treasure.
    *hugs*
    Tazzie
    :-)

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  13. Thank you so much for donating and providing a link, please everyone post this on your blog even if you cant donate, someone else may be able to.
    Im in qld, our flat is in a inner Brisbane suburb close by the river, but has been relatively ok, compared to others. What a mess!

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  14. Thank you Bonnie for bringing the news to your wide range of readers. In Western Queensland we have had some fairly consistent rain (we are more used to droughts!) and some towns have been inundated. We are OK, but I have only just managed to cross our river to reach home - the first time in 6 weeks! I too have a quilt for auction on Toni's Make It Perfect site. Thanks again and thanks too, for all your wonderful scrappy quilt patterns - we love them. Sandy
    www.thesilverthimble.typepad.com

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  15. Anonymous8:31 PM EST

    Hi Bonnie

    I'm another Aussie quilter who is in the lucky position of not being affected by the tragic flooding in Queensland. I am going to post a link to an article that explains very clearly why 'cash is king' and definitely the way to go at the moment. And spare a thought for the other mainland states (NSW, Vic, SA) which all have areas still under threat of flood. Also WA is facing rebuilding after they've bushfires(arsonists &*()!)last week and flooding higher up in the week before Christmas.

    http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/42968.html

    Thanks for thinking of we Aussies and sending out the word to all your readers.

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  16. Thank you Bonnie for posting a message encouraging support for my fellow aussies affected by the floods. Jan of http://ozcomfortquilts.blogspot.com/ is asking for quilt blocks which she is assembling into quilts to comfort survivors physically and emotionally. Quilt block don't weigh much and there are many international quilters sending them in.

    Thanks again Bonnie for getting the word out there.

    Alex from Vic, Australia

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  17. I have to say here in New Zealand it is like watching your neighbours!That's because they are!!
    I agree sewing machines and fabric are the least of their worries, that can all come later.

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  18. Thanks Bonnie. I'm in Sydney so not affected but we have all been moved by what's happening in Queensland and other prts of the country. Every little bit helps.

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  19. Bonnie thank you from the bottom of my heart for spreading the word and supporting us Queenslanders....it has hit my home town severely and the loss is just indescribable. I am very lucky to be safe and dry and in Adelaide at the moment but was very stressed as my children are back home amongst it all with their Dad. Thankfully high, dry and safe. Friends haven't been so lucky...once again a big thank you. Hugs
    Khris is Oz

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  20. ohhhh
    p.s. I thought the same thing as those kangaroos about that hunky guy rescuing me any day :-)

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