Angus Neppessen and Anna Rispoli-Yovanovic will be delivering firewood to Kinglake residents this Friday. 33026
By Monique Ebrington
RESIDENTS from across the Valley can chip in to help keep a fire affected community warm this winter.
Yarra Junction resident Anna Rispoli-Yovanovic will lead a convoy to Kinglake on Friday 10 July for anyone wanting to fill up backseats, boots or trailers with firewood for the fire ravaged town.
Mrs Rispoli-Yovanovic and her husband moved from Kinglake to the Upper Yarra seven years ago so their daughters Shaheen and Maris could attend the Little Yarra Steiner School.
Despite the move, they kept their Kinglake home of 17 years. However, the February fires destroyed it.
She has returned to Kinglake several times after the fires and said firewood was one of the biggest needs for residents there.
“I was there for the day and asked Global Care what needed to be done,” Mrs Rispoli-Yovanovic said.
“They asked if I could chop firewood and said that dry firewood was one of their biggest needs for winter,”
“I told them that I’d be back and that I’d be back with friends.”
Mrs Rispoli-Yovanovic already has six families and several individuals wanting to make the trek and said other residents wanting to donate firewood were more than welcome to come along.
“If anyone has thought, I wonder how it’s going up there, or, I wonder what they need, then this is just one answer to those questions,” she said.
Anyone wanting to take dry firewood, cut into small pieces, to Kinglake can meet Mrs Rispoli-Yovanovic at 9am in the Home Hotel car park at 2170 Warburton Hwy, Launching Place.
The convoy will be travelling though Healesville and Yarra Glen on their way to Kinglake and will stop in these towns if there is an interest.
Drivers of utility vehicles or vehicles with trailers would also be appreciated on the day. Pick-up of donated dry and cut firewood is available before the Friday, and anyone wanting to join the convoy is encouraged to phone Mrs Rispoli-Yovanovic 0407 271 097.
