Listening leads to inspired action
Local
After learning of the urgent need for basic household items for women escaping abusive relationships, the Catholic Women’s League Next Gen group decided to see if they could help.
Ele Bauer and other members of the group heard Centacare executive manager Megan Welsh speak at the CWL State Conference about services and programs supporting victims of domestic violence.
“Megan explained how victims are supported to leave abusive relationships and given a safe place to live, then set up with ‘basics’ necessary to start afresh…practical items like a kettle, a toaster, towels, sheets and cleaning products,” she said.
Chatting after the conference, Ele and her friends wondered if they could help by donating some cleaning products and this evolved into asking parishioners if they could also donate items.
A request went into the Emmaus parish weekly bulletin. Collection boxes were placed in the three Emmaus churches: Our Lady of Dolours, Kingswood; St Therese, Colonel Light Gardens; and Holy Cross, Goodwood.
They were overwhelmed by the response – within a couple of weeks 242 items including laundry and dishwashing liquid, scourers and sponges, gloves and pegs, handwash and toothpaste were donated.
“We invited Fr Bob Wilkinson to come along to bless all of the items before we dropped them off,” Ele said.
“He accepted enthusiastically, and our hope and belief is that the blessing will flow on to each and every person and family who receives an item.”
Ele thanked everyone who took the time to “make this small outpouring of caring a success”.
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