Home front support shapes up

By Kath Gannaway
A PHOTO from Afghanistan has proved to be the best ‘thank you’ the Curves girls at Yarra Glen could have hoped for.
Soldier David Cleary, whose mum Dee works at Curves fitness centre, enlisted two mates, a bit of cardboard and a packet of Shapes to let the Yarra Glen community know they appreciate their support.
Curves owner Shannon Bergamin rallied the troops to send food packages to the boys overseas after learning from Dee that many of the boys long for a connection with home.
“Dee was seeing David off the day we opened and later told me how she sends food packages.
“We invited the local community to help up make up a food package and the response has been amazing,” she said.
Shannon said the project is an all round morale booster.
The big grins set against the stark monochromatic Afghan landscape say something of what the Yarra Glen connection is doing for the troops but there are big grins back in the green Yarra Valley as well.
“The girls here, our clients, local businesses, all love the idea. They bring in food, magazines, books, chocolate … the boys love their chocolate … and we’ve even had people leaving food packages at the front door,” she said.
Tim Tams are holding up as a perennial favourite … no mention of vegemite!
Shannon said David had served in East Timor before being deployed to Afghanistan.
Seeing Dee say another goodbye tugged at the heartstrings and prompted Shannon and her crew to look at what they could do as women to make a difference.
“There are boys over there who don’t have families. Many of them are lonely, hot and sometimes hungry.
“We wanted to let them know we care and they love it that we send food,” she said.
“This is a community effort and I want to thank everyone in Yarra Glen and Healesville who is making it happen.
“This photograph is the best way I can think of to do that.”