Australians have a history of digging deep to lend a hand to others in their time of need. In this great tradition and in the wake of the devastating floods along Australia’s east coast, Orange residents are again doing their part.

Watching the record-breaking flooding swallow up the northern rivers town of Lismore earlier this month, staff at the Orange Ex-Services Club (OESC) put their heads together to see what they could do to help.

Putting the call-out to members and the wider community, the Club set up a ‘flood donations hub’ where people could drop off food and household items to help flood victims, so many of whom have lost everything.

Donations of a range of items from blankets, appliances, food, and other necessities have been steadily coming into the club, who plan to drive and distribute the goods themselves in partnership with staff from the Lismore Workers Club.

“We started slow, but it has really kicked off. We have probably filled up a truck by now, and we still have a few other things coming in,” OESC Chief Executive Officer, Nathan Whiteside said.

“We chose that Lismore area because when we were having the conversation it was the place that was the worst-affected,” he added.

Sadly, since the Club launched the appeal, other coastal areas have also suffered the same fate as Lismore.

“We can only do our little bit,” said Nathan, encouraged that so many other communities around Australia are pitching in to help.

“There has been a lot of support throughout the whole State but, as I said, we chose that Lismore area because it was pretty much decimated and then, in particular, the Lismore Workers Club. 

“The water that went through there, went halfway through their second story and some of their staff have lost homes, but it is not just them, but the wider community too.

“So it is club helping club, community helping community… This was our opportunity to engage with our own staff and our Board and our members as well as the wider Orange community to help another local community.”

The appeal for donations to the Club’s “flood hub” ends this Friday, March 18, with club staff then volunteering to use their own annual leave to drive the donations to the flood-ravaged town.

“We put a cut-off day of Friday but, having done this in the past and in other communities, I know full well we're still going to get things donated,” said Nathan.

“We won't have an opportunity to take this stuff north for another week or so, so we aren’t going to say ‘no’ to donations.”

For anyone who would like to donate, the OESC team are particularly hoping to provide: Coles/Woolworths vouchers for groceries; Harvey Norman/Kmart/Big W vouchers to help flood victims buy clothing and household items; new blankets, pillows or sleeping bags; feminine hygiene packs; baby supplies; cleaning packs and products; canned and non-perishable food and goods, and bottled drinking water