Following the huge success of the last drop off, REAP Sapphire Coast spread the warmth across the Bega Valley for a second time as part of their goal to Blanket the Valley and ensure no one is cold this winter.
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Once again the REAP Sapphire Coast co-founders Christine Welsh and Peter Buggy arranged for 600 blankets to be dropped off and distributed to those in need around the Bega Valley.
The call went out to local charities to collect the blankets at Bobbin’s Transport, Pambula where Neville Bobbin had been responsible for bringing the first consignment of blankets, quilts and doonas from Sydney at no cost to local charities.
“We gave them to needy people and they were all just so thankful. It was good for them to know that someone cares, that the community cares.”
- Lyn Dawson
Not wanting to abuse Bobbin’s generosity, the Uniting Church in Merimbula decided to pay for the freight of the second lot of blankets, however, when they tried to give Mr Bobbin the cheque, he refused to accept it and said “keep the money and spend it helping the community”.
Lyn Dawson from the Uniting Church Merimbula said the first lot of blankets were very well received.
“We gave them to needy people and they were all just so thankful. It was good for them to know that someone cares, that the community cares.”
Representatives from local charities filled their cars to the brim with blankets to be distributed through both their own charities and given to others.
John Liston from the Social Justice Advocates took almost half of the blankets for the Social Justice Advocates and St Vincent de Paul, Eden and Merimbula.
Ms Welsh said she was thankful to all those whose generosity made the event possible and such a success, including her friend in Sydney who donated the blankets but wished to remain anonymous.
She said she was over the moon at how well the blankets were received and she plans to make Blanketing the Valley an annual event.
