Flowerdale Community Recovery Update November

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Flowerdale CommunityRecovery Update

November/December 2009

Community Meetings

Will now only be held once a month next meeting is on 11

th

December & 29

th

January

PLEASE NOTE: THIS WILL BE THE LAST COMMUNITY UPDATE FOR THE YEAR WILLRECOMMENCE LATE JANUARY/EARLY FEBRUARY

Updates & New Information

Flowerdale Hub Hours til Christmas

A reminder that the Hub is now only openone Saturday a month, 10 am - 2 pm. Thenext Saturday that the Hub is open is 5thDecember.Hub closure between Christmas and NewYear - all Hubs will be closed for the weekbetween Christmas and New Year, thereforepeople are encouraged to submit all grantsprior to Christmas Eve as many of the grantscease on December 31st.The policy about Code Red days isn't quiteready for publishing, however as Hubs areabout recovery rather than response or relief,it appears that Hubs will be closed on CodeRed days, and if there is a localised threat,Hubs will liaise with local authorities and/orassess potential threats to staff to make adecision about closing. For example, onFriday afternoon Centrelink staff left duringthe windstorm to ensure they could avoid thepotential of trees coming down or excessivedebris on the roads and return safely to theirstaging area in Bundoora.

YMCA holiday programs

YMCA Victoria in partnership with theBushfire Appeal Fund are once again excitedto offer a series of free school holidayprograms for bushfire affected communitiesover the summer holiday period. Programswill run in the locations listed below and moreinformation on the programs can be found atwww.victoria.ymca.org.au/holidayprogramsor by calling 9403 5090. Bookings open onMonday 23 November and close on Friday 11December; we strongly advise bushfireaffected families to BOOK EARLY as weexpect some locations to book out!

Primary Age Programs TeenagePrograms

AlexandraWhittleseaYeaKinglake WestWandongYeaWhile the locations for the free programs andactivities have been chosen to meet theneeds of the bushfire affected communities,YMCA Victoria recognises that many familieshave been displaced due to the fires and areunable to access the free programs andactivities. Therefore families who haverelocated to an area where a free program orservice is not being offered can apply for areimbursement of fees for primary andsecondary students who attend programsoffered by registered vacation care providersin the summer school holidays. Moreinformation on reimbursement can be foundatwww.victoria.ymca.org.au/holidayprogramsor by calling 9403 5090.

Stay informed with Business Victoria

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Visitwww.business.vic.gov.au/signupor call

132215

The Bushfire Appeal Fund Advisory Panel,chaired by Pat McNamara is visitingWhittlesea. All local residents are invited toan informal light lunch with the panel whereyou will have a chance to talk to panelmembers about the fund and other bushfirerelated issues.When: Tuesday 1

st

DecemberWhen: 1.00

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1.45pmWhere: Whittlesea Community ActivityCentre, 56

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61 Laurel St, WhittleseaPlease RSVP to Fiona on (03) 9096 1649 oremail fiona.mcgrath@dhs.vic.gov.au.

Bushfire ReBuilding Blocks

Bushfire ReBuilding Blocks is a not for profitassociation established to generate andprovide tangible support to people specificallyrebuilding premises on their existing landfollowing the Black Saturday fires.They can help in a range of projects fromclearing trees, brick laying, carpentry,painting, shed fit outs, gardening and more.If you would like to know more about howBushfire ReBuilding Blocks can give you ahand, call 0415 815 585.Bushfire ReBuilding Blocks are also lookingfor people who can help through offeringtrade discounts and services, gardeners,people to make and serve lunch tovolunteers, collecting and delivering buildingmaterial, accommodation for interstate andoverseas volunteers, the donation of new orused building materials etc.If you are able to help, call 0415 815 585 oremail donate@bushfirerebuildingblocks.org orcheck the websitewww.bushfirerebuildingblocks.org

Back to work tool kits

Back to work tool kits and promotionalpostcards are being distributed to CommunityServices Hubs over the coming days.The kits contain information about state,federal and non-government servicesavailable to assist Bushfire affectedemployees and employers to get back towork.They also contain information on a range of issues including employment rights, benefitsand entitlements, financial counselling,training entitlements and re-employment.For more information about the service call

1800 842 463

.

Victorian Bushfire Information Line

The Victorian Bushfire Information Line(VBIL) provides timely bushfire informationand advice to the Victorian community in thelead up to the fire season and duringsignificant incidents.VBIL is currently reviewing a number of areasof the service as a result of the RoyalCommission's Interim Report. These include:* refurbishment in the Wendoree officeto accommodate 14 more desks for calltakers* recruitment of an additional 60-70 calltakers, a new team leader and newoperations manager over the coming months* technology and processes are beingreviewed to speed up the time it takes to getinformation ready for call takers* the overlow arrangement withCentrelink is also being reviewed to improvethe switch over speed.Managed by the CFA and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), theVBIL is a vital source of preparation,response and recovery information for thecommunity.Members of the community can call theinformation line on 1800 240 667 or emailvbil.info@dse.vic.gov.au. For the deaf, hard of hearing or individualswho have a speech impediment and have ateletext machine are encouraged to call TTY(teletext) 1800 122 969. For furtherinformation see the National Relay Servicewebsitehttp://www.relayservice.com.au/topics/2065.html

Gutter guarding

Northern Leaf Guard is offering bushfire-affected families and individuals living in fireprone areas a 25% discount to assist with thesupply and fit of gutter guard protection. Thealuminium mesh is fire retardant and has aCSIRO 0 rating and assists in keeping guttersclear from debris and embers.For more information, or to obtain a quoteplease call Steven Kish on 0400508466.

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Donations Management System update

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Laminex offer

Laminex is offering a free kitchen designservice to people affected by the bushfires.This is suitable for people who are rebuildingtheir homes and includes an initialconsultation with a Laminex consultant.During the design process Laminex willprovide a computer rendered design of theirnew kitchen including a floor plan withdimensions, computer rendered elevations,colour, product and texture selections. Peopleare under no obligation to use Laminexproducts and can take the design to anycabinet maker.This offer can be accessed until February2010 by contacting your VBRRA DonationsCoordinator. Once people have registeredtheir need for the donation, they have untilSeptember 2010 to contact Laminexregarding this offer. The offer is valued at100 points.

Community Grants Fund

The Victorian Bushfire Community GrantsFund has been established by Australia'sOpen Garden Scheme to support Victoriancommunities affected by the Victorianbushfires.A total of $80,000 is available for theestablishment, re-establishment orrefurbishment of community gardens, parksand other public places with grants of up to$20,000 available.Application forms and further information areavailable at www.opengarden.org.au.Applications close on 30 April 2010.

If you would like to share your ideas for a public garden or be involved please contact

Council’s Bushfire Recovery Team on (03)

9217 2532.

Tourism Victoria offer

The accommodation offer coordinated byTourism Victoria expires on 20 December2009. This expiry date is printed on theaccommodation vouchers clients may have

accessed from VBRRA’s donations

coordinators. If you are aware your clientshave accessed these vouchers and have notused them, please remind them they expirein four weeks. Any unused vouchers cannotbe returned to Donations Coordinators.There are still several Melbourne city basedhotels offering accommodation to bushfireaffected people. These include:- Causeway 353: www.causeway.com.au- Hotel Windsor:www.thehotelwindsor.com.au- Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens:www.radisson.com/melbourneau- Crown Promenade:www.crownpromenade.com.auTo book accommodation, please follow theusual process by visiting the Tourism Victoriawebsite -www.tourism.vic.gov.au/bushfireoffer/accommodation. All bookings are subject toavailability.

Satellite Phone Subsidy Scheme

As part of its response package to theRegional Telecommunications Review, theRudd Government provided $11.4 million toextend and enhance the Satellite PhoneSubsidy Scheme. The funding is availableover four years to 30 June 2013.The Satellite Phone Subsidy Schemeimproves the affordability of mobilecommunications for people living and workingin areas without handheld terrestrial mobilecoverage, by providing subsidies for thepurchase of satellite phone handsets. Thesubsidy varies depending on where you liveand the cost of the phone you buy:

1. Live or work outside of mobileCoverage-

85 per cent of the retail price of the phone,to a maximum of $1000

2. Live in mobile coverage, but workor travel outside coverage

- 50 per cent of the retail price of the phone,to a maximum of $700To be eligible for the second subsidy levelyou must spend a minimum of 180 daysoutside of terrestrial mobile coverage overthe next two years.

Eligibility

Individuals, small businesses, educationalinstitutions, Indigenous corporations,community groups, health and emergencyservice organisations can access subsidies.

Replacement handsets

Applicants who live in areas withoutterrestrial mobile coverage are eligible foradditional subsidies to replace handsetspurchased under the Scheme three or moreyears earlier.

Further details

Guidelines and application forms are availableat www.dbcde.gov.au/satphone.