Two-and-a-half years after they started, the Townsville Castle Hill Lions Club has achieved its aim of raising a million dollars for drought relief in Queensland.
The club has been running Lions’ national drought relief program, receiving donations from clubs around Australia and the world.
According to president Brian McAtee, the international head office in Chicago recognised the scale of events unfolding in Australia as a natural disaster and tipped in $150,000.
Around $200,000 of the money raised has gone into the Virtual Psychologist service, the mental health arm of Aussie Helpers, which has been described as “a cutting-edge counselling program” that is delivering mental health support via phone, email, online chat, SMS and social media to graziers throughout the country.
“What we are offering is a first for Australia,” Virtual Psychologist CEO and founder Dervla Loughnane said. “Other nationwide counselling services have identified the need for a direct message support program like this but we are the first to offer it.”
It has been a personal project for Aussie Helpers founder Brian Egan, who pledged to bring psychological services to people on the land doing it tough after experiencing depression and losing property himself.
The Lions-funded service offers 24-hour support via many channels, including digital media.
According to Ms Loughnane, this means they’re able to reach a much greater audience and has a lot of flexibility, so that services can be delivered in a way and at a time that suits graziers.
Face-to-face services are offered in addition to chat, email, texting or phone conversations, and they are linked to local community-based organisations where possible.
Brian McAtee said the beauty of the service was that people could email in their own time, rather than having to wait to make an appointment and sit in front of someone to pour their heart out.
“We are told it’s working really well,” he said. “They are even available to hop in a plane to head out to people.”
He believed the service was also being offered to dairy farmers in Victoria.
In the meantime, Brian expects to add to the thousands of kilometres already travelled around Queensland in the name of drought assistance for Lions.
“There’s still more to be done,” he said. “There are still areas that didn’t get much rain, and people who have no money.
“Even those who don’t have many breeding stock left need support.”
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
