Scarcely had Black Saturday come and gone than the Knights of the Southern Cross (KSC) went into top gear to help those in need.
The Knights’ Morwell branch organised a fundraising dinner and the Myrtleford branch held its annual family picnic in March. The aim of both was to show support to those who had suffered from the bushfires.
The KSC, a Catholic men’s organisation that works quietly without any media publicity, lost a member and his son in Callignee, near Traralgon, and other members’ families lost property and stock.
The Ballarat branch held a fundraising barbecue in the grounds of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ballarat, at the request of former KSC State Chaplain Bishop Peter Connors. Some members travelled from metropolitan branches to help out. On the day the Catholic Women’s League from the Cathedral branch presented the KSC Ballarat branch with a generous cash donation.
The Knox branch, which holds a monthly barbecue at the local Get Fresh store in Boronia, also raised a handsome amount by way of gold-coin donation.
With the support of its district branches, Rosanna-Macleod and Diamond Valley, the Doncaster-Templestowe branch collected tools for those who had lost theirs in the fires. The tools collected included garden implements and hardware and painting equipment. The instigator, Brian Moore, with branch chairman Norm McArthur, drove around to various points to collect these goods and then drove the trailer load to Callignee.
Members from various branches sent in donations to head office.
Recently KSC member and well-known Longwood identity Tom Brodie was honoured with an Australian Fire Medal in recognition of service to the community through the Country Fire Authority. Mr Brodie has 45 years service with the CFA.
Jim Gray is state membership officer of the Knights of the Southern Cross.