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SEASON OF GIVING:
Year 12 students from The Riverina Anglican College (from left) Lachlan Callis, Maneecka Farey and Zoe Evans present Anglicare manager Brad Addison with Christmas hampers. Wagga appears to be bucking the national trend of plummeting Christmas donations but local charities say more are always welcomed. Photo: Kerrie Stewart
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Wagga residents ignore drought woes and continue to donate to charities
DESPITE heading into their seventh drought-ridden Christmas, the people of Wagga are giving generously to charities and helping hundreds of needy families in the area through the holidays.
And what makes this news all the more important is that people in Wagga are bucking a nation-wide trend, with welfare organisations across most of Australia reportedly down on donations this year.
Manager of St Vincent de Paul Wagga Lee Barclay says they have been inundated with so many toys, food, furniture and clothing that they have been able to pass on some goods to the Junee branch.
“We aren’t finding that (donations are down) at all, we’ve had a really great response this Christmas,” Mr Barclay said.
Donations will see 600 Christmas hampers delivered across the city with toys for needy children. Mr Barclay said although it isn’t clear at this stage if cash donations were up or down on last year the amount generously given is enough for the charity to continue drought relief.
“People realise there are a lot of families struggling and they’ll do anything to help, and every little bit counts. We’ll keep collecting right up until Christmas and afterwards.”
Meanwhile, the Smith Family reported donations were on par or up on last year, which was given a boost with a school drive from Kildare College but Ron Cole, who collects for The Rock, said donations were slightly down on the outskirts of Wagga where they are feeling the pinch of the drought.
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