Disaster dollars

AN international disaster has left two Healesville residents marvelling at community compassion, with hundreds of dollars handed in for aid.
Healesville residents Shane and Emma Brandon had booked plane tickets to assist in the Philippines’ recovery effort after a recent earthquake left the country reeling.
However, their plans were delayed when Typhoon Haiyan, the largest storm to hit land in human history, landed, killing thousands and affecting many more.
The pair flew out to the Philippines on Friday 15 November but not before receiving numerous donations from community members who knew of their upcoming trip.
Shane said that, by Wednesday 13 November, he had received about $1200 in donations from friends and people in the town.
He said the money would go towards solar-chargers for phones, along with rice and food to assist with the aid effort.
He thanked all those who donated to either himself or any aid organisations for their generous contributions and encouraged everyone to donate to the relief effort.
“It’s really hard to understand what it’s like unless you go and be there,” he said.
“It’s easy to see it on TV, but if you times what you see by 50, then you start to feel what they’re feeling.”
There are a number of ways that people can donate to the cause, including to Save the Children at www.savethechildren.org.au, to the Red Cross at www.redcross.org.au or to UNICEF at www.unicef.org.au.