Shops in High Street, Charlton
during the January Floods January 2011

From L-R, President Jenny and Peter Beales (R.C. Kinglake Ranges), President Elect Peter (R.C. Southern Mitchell) and Judy Appleton, PP David Redfearn (R.C. Moreland), President Sue McLean (R.C. Charlton), PP Lindsay and Jeanette Jolley (R.C. Bright)

President Sue McLean (Rotary Club of Charlton) and PP Kevin Mathews (Rotary Club of Charlton)

Lindsay Jolley (Rotary Club of Bright) presenting the cheque to President Sue McLean (Rotary Club of Charlton) on behalf of District 9790

 

Rotarians from District 9790 travelled to flood affected Charlton on Friday 7th October to attend the launch of the annual Charlton Rotary Art Exhibition.

PP Lindsay Jolley (Rotary Club of Bright) and PP David Redfearn (Rotary Club of Moreland) represented the District 9790 Flood and Cyclone Recovery Committee along with the Presidents and members of the the Rotary Club of Southern Mitchell and theRotary Club of Kinglake Ranges located in bushfire affected communities who wished to show their solidarity with the people of Charlton.

Charlton, in North Central Victoria, lies in a picturesque setting in gentle rolling countryside and farmland on the banks of the normally tranquil Avoca River. This friendly rural community of around 1,000 inhabitants was afflicted by severe flooding not once but twice in the space of four months when the Avoca River broke its banks in September 2010 and January 2011 with devastating effects on local residents, their homes, their farms and their businesses. A number of people have left the community and some houses still remain unoccupied. One local Rotarian commented that it could take 15 years for the town to recover.

In this context, the Rotary Club of Charlton in District 9800 was determined to continue the annual art exhibition which has been an important community fixture for 30 years but was reluctant to approach local businesses for the usual sponsorship as these were still finding their feet after the floods. This is where our District stepped in to match the amount normally provided by the local business owners thereby allowing the exhibition to continue and Flood and Cyclone Recovery Committee Chair, PP Lindsay Jolley, was delighted to present a cheque for $5,000 on behalf of District 9790.
Generous sponsorship was also provided by Flack Advisory in Bendigo, Telstra Central Victoria and Sunraysia and the Rotary Club of Korumburra.

The District 9790 representatives all had a most enjoyable evening thanks to the warm hospitality of President Sue McLean and her fellow Charlton Rotarians.

The Charlton ethic is that the town and the community "will come back stronger than before the flood", and our District can feel very proud to have played a small part in making that happen.

 

Images and some text courtesy of David Redfearn and http://www.charlton.vic.au/