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Wednesday, October 2, 2013
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Pastors Dan Vogler and Jeff Xhafer of Living Waters Mareeba are calling out to the community for donations to the church’s food bank. Living Waters regularly distributes parcels of food to those in need.
Food for thought By Boyd Robertson
T
he Living Waters Church is urging the Tablelands community to think of those less fortunate and donate to the church’s annual food drive. Non-perishable food like cans of baked beans, cereals, biscuits and long-life milk in addition to toiletries like toothpaste and soap are at the top of the church’s wish list for donations to their food bank, which can be made at the Living Waters Mareeba Church, The Express office, or at Travel Experience in Atherton. The food is combined into parcels that are distributed to people in need, such as victims of natural disasters like Cyclone Yasi or those simply struggling to feed their families.
The church subjects those asking for help to a brief interview to ensure the food and supplies are going to those that truly need it. The food drive has been run since 2003, when the church distributed 15 parcels. Donations have risen steadily since then, peaking in 2011 when 117 parcels were given out, 35 of which were sent to the victims of Cyclone Yasi in Innisfail. Living Waters co-founder Pastor Jeff Xhafer said that Mareeba was a ‘very generous town’ and that the charity they had provided over the years had helped those who needed it most – but more was always welcome. “What we are asking is for when people go shopping, maybe pick up one or two extra cans and donate them,” he said.
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“Even good old toilet paper or toothpaste, we take it for granted and use it every day but it feels great to be able to throw some in a box that you know is going to make a world of difference. “People donate to this cause because they know they are blessed with plenty and they know they can help the less fortunate. “Some of the testimonials we’ve heard up here are just heart-wrenching, we’ve come across situations where families have been without food for three days or more.” The effects of receiving donations from Living Waters’ food bank have been observed firsthand by Tablelands Regional Council senior housing support worker Terry Murray. Mr Murray, who works in council’s Street to Home program, said people only needed one do-
nation to turn their struggles around. “It’s absolutely a positive thing,” Mr Murray said. “We haven’t seen the same people twice [after they receive donations]. “It’s a tough situation to be in sometimes on welfare benefits and not being able to keep up with the day-to-day cost of life - I’d definitely encourage the community to go to the church and donate.” Ps Xhafer said, “When we sent the parcels of food down to Innisfail after Yasi, the reports we got back from that were quite touching and emotional,” he said. “Grown men cried upon receiving food.” Living Waters Mareeba is located at 9 Park Avenue in Mareeba and Travel Experience is located in Vernon Street, Atherton.
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