A ‘Floody’ Good Deed

This week I would like to dedicate my Editor’s Note to all the kind individuals that helped motorists that were stranded during the recent flooding event which saw the Bruce Highway completely cut-off four three days.

Last week in our ‘Flooded With Kindness’ story we featured the incredible volunteers who assisted at the Bowen PCYC.

This week, we would like to share the story of some selfless Proserpine locals who fed, clothed and warmed the hearts of individual motorists and the numerous ‘truckies’ whose vehicles were banked up along the highway.

On the Sunday night Ingrid Ruck from Proserpine Community Centre received a message from three stranded motorists who were trapped without shelter, unable to get any accommodation and with rain pelting down.

It was late at night so Ingrid directed them to the BP service station where they received permission to park their car undercover for the evening and use the facilities.

First thing the next morning, Ingrid greeted the travellers and offered them a shower at the community centre. She then called the Council to see if an emergency shelter could be opened and by midday the Proserpine Entertainment Centre (PEC) was made available.

Within a few hours 30 stranded motorists came to the shelter and Ingrid was tasked with making sure they were comfortable.

Ingrid and her husband brought chairs from the community centre and then called Chris from St Paul’s Op Shop where they were given blankets, jumpers, towels and other essential items.

As evening came along Ingrid realised no-one had been fed so she rang Steve from the Proserpine Lions and, because it was too late to rally his team of BBQ chefs, he added funding to Ingrid’s resources and the pair were able to deliver kebabs, pizzas and hot chips for everyone.

“We had to feed the people!” said Ingrid.

“You should have seen their faces when we arrived – it was incredible.”

By the end of the evening 50 people were now being sheltered at the PEC and support from the local community was flooding in.

The next morning one lady delivered freshly baked muffins and fruit, another cooked a quiche and biscuits, and by lunch time five volunteers from the Lions had arrived to serve one of their classic BBQs.

“We must have cooked over 200 burgers!” said Steve Thompson from the Proserpine Lions.

“It’s what we do, it’s what we’re about.”

That afternoon Ingrid received a call from the Proserpine Impact Church asking what they could do and, with trucks backed-up along the highway, it was decided they would feed the truckies.

A call was put out on the radio and some of the congregation hand delivered burgers to the grateful drivers.

The Church also opened its doors and offered the truckies hot showers.

Everyone in the community came together to support those who were struggling – a four-month old baby and its family were given the last available room in town, those who had run out of necessary medication were shown how to get scripts and people who had no Australian currency left were assisted.

“Everybody just jumped in to help and it was a pretty cool experience,” said Ingrid.

“Our community is very special.”

The Proserpine Lions cooked over 200 burgers in one day

Mayor Julie Hall (centre) with some volunteers

Blankets were donated by St Paul’s Op Shop

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