Local residents escalate feeding scheme with Delta Park clean up
The plan was to create a database where a person with certain skills would be contacted in the event that their skills were required by residents. At the end of the day, 64 names were taken down to form the database.
The Delta community clean-up this past weekend was a huge success. The clean-up was structured to empower the homeless people who live in Blairgowrie and surrounds. Blairgowrie residents Justine Sweet and Kelly McGillvray joined forces to lead a team of volunteers to escalate the feeding scheme, which began during lockdown, to create a more significant change for the community at large.
Attendees met at the pedestrian gate to Delta Park on Bantam Drive at 9am. On arrival, register was taken which included full names, cell phone numbers (from those who had phones) as well as their skills. The plan was to create a database where a person with certain skills would be contacted in the event that their skills were required by residents. At the end of the day, 64 names were taken down to form the database.
After they were registered, every attendee was given a black plastic bag to fill with litter found discarded in the park. Three routes were outlined on the map, where each attendee chose one to pick up litter on. Once they had completed their route, all were required to return back to the start to drop off the litter they had collected. Passersby on bikes and leisurely strolls routinely stopped by to enquire how they could help the ladies in their mission.
Each person who participated was given a bottle of water, lunch and an opportunity to pick a new set of clothes from boxes of clothes separated by type and size. The attendees were also given a black wristband which cemented their opportunity to receive meals from the feeding scheme for the next few weeks. Although all the attendees were fed and given a bottle of water, some left without a new set of clothes due to a demand which was more than the supply.
The first of its kind, both McGillvray and Sweet look forward to many more improved events of a similar nature. Attendees expressed that the top essentials they needed while homeless were backpacks, soap, shoes, washing powder and roll-on. Donations were welcomed by both Sweet and McGillvray .
Details: Kelly McGillvray 082 351 9225; Justine Sweet justiesweet@gmail.com
