“It feels like, my heart has started beating faster ever since the drought started,” – eight-year-old Josh Charlton.

It’s a quote that puts the harsh reality of the drought into perspective. Shown on a news piece on the Project not too long ago (regarding Trundle Central School) it’s a quote that’s hits too close to home.. When will it rain!?

After watching that same news piece, Rochelle Ashcroft couldn’t take the sit back approach.. and what decent Aussie could!?

“It was awful to see,” Rochelle explained, “Kids can’t wash their clothes at home, they can’t have a shower, they have to come to school to do most of that.”

With that being said, Rochelle began to research the school and the wonderful things they have been doing to make students and families lives a little more positive, also noticing, Tullamore Central School was a mere 20 minutes away, Rochelle wanted to extend the help.

IGA’S charity, Let’s Make Better now has a collection cage out the front of both IGA Stores in Orange, for the community to drop non-perishable items to deliver to both Trundle and Tullamore Schools.

“We hope to make the lives of students a little easier, with the obvious impact of the drought especially hitting hard out west, we can’t do too much about the weather, but we can help out in another way.”

With IGA Orange’s purchase of a new (huge) van, and having been given a generous donation of $5,000, Rochelle envisions to have the van ‘full to the brim’ full of goodies to take west and she needs our help to do it.

“We will deliver the goods in December to show our support and to hopefully help their families out during this devastating drought. I spoke to both Principals and they are really appreciative of the support from Orange. It’s not life changing but it’s something.. I was told by them, ‘just to know people support and care and think about them means a lot’.”

The delivery will be made before the schools break up for holidays and before the Christmas period.

School Principal of Trundle Central School John Southon mentioned if they were to be given monetary donations they would be given to the families to spend in the town for example; for agriculture supplies or service stations.

Determined not to let the drought break their spirits, Principal Southon declared in the video, “Hey.. this drought is not going to beat us, we are going to challenge it.”

Let’s give what we can to our struggling farmers and their families, that’s what being an Aussie is all about right?  

The Let’s Make Better team will travel out west on December 16, so be sure to get everything to them before then. If you would like to make any other donations including monetary, please contact Rochelle on lmb@ashcroftgroup.com.au

Non Perishables accepted include;

Fly spray
Aeroguard/Bushmans
Toilet Paper
Hand Towel
Sunscreen/ Lip gloss/ Vaseline/ Moisturiser
Muesli Bars/ Rollups
Bottled water
Cupcake or Muffin mix/instant puddings
Glad Wrap
Alfoil
Snack pack- Smith Chips, Tiny teddies, shapes, chicken crimpies
Wet wipes
Shampoo/Conditioner
Pasta, pasta sauces etc
Flour
Sugar
Condiments, jams, vegemite
Tin tuna, Salmon
Tin Tomato’s
Lasagne
Tea/Coffee
Poppers etc
Confectionary
Fruit Cake