Posted by Co-President Jack Kraan:
 
Last Wednesday evening we conducted a joint meeting with the Rotary Club of Narre Warren.  President Tim Fisher introduced a project that his Club was supporting in Tonga and sought our Club’s assistance. 
 
Our guest speaker was Ma’ake Lolohea from 'Our Lady Help of Christians Parish' in Narre Warren . 
 
 
The volcanic eruption of the Hunga-Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano on January 15, 2022, was one of the largest ever recorded in Tonga. The eruption triggered tsunami waves of up to 15m which struck the west coast of Tongatapu, ‘Eua and Ha’apai.
 
The 'Our Lady Help of Christians Parish' in Narre Warren offered to help one of the most severely affected secondary schools in Tonga, 'Apifo'ou College.
 
This parish has strong links with Tonga as many of its parishioners are from there. The parish contacted the school and requested a list of needs, especially equipment that had been lost in the Tsunami that followed the earthquake. This school is right on the beach area and was first of all covered in volcanic ash and then flooded in the tsunami, so almost everything was lost.  
 
The parish collected a large range of educational equipment and consumables.  The goods have been packed in a 20ft shipping container and will be sent to Tonga on 26th March.
 
To ship the container costs $9,600, of which the church is paying $2,000.  The RC of Narre Warren is contributing $4,000 and our Club is paying $2,000.  Half of each Club’s contributions are paid from District grants. The Apifo'ou Ex-Students Association in Melbourne is contributing the balance. 
 
This is an excellent example of what can be achieved by organisations working together. 
 
It also demonstrates what can be achieved by utilising the resources of The Rotary Foundation, in this instance District Grants. This enabled our Club’s $1,000 contribution to be doubled.
 
The Narre Warren Club have also offered to work with us and provide assistance with the Nossal High School Mock Interviews to be held on 27th & 28th April. 
 
Please don’t forget to advise Di Scheepers at di.scheepers@gmail.com if you can assist.
 
Co-President Jack Kraan
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