How Schools are Responding to Fires
Our Articles > How Schools are Responding to Fires
Author: Chris Parker
Date published: 16/02/2009 1:10:46 PM
Following is a list of the ways our schools have been responding to the fires in Victoria.
REHOBOTH CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Rehoboth Christian College (Wilson campus) will be holding a special fundraising Free Dress Day this Wednesday 18th Feb to raise funds for the victims of the Victorian bushfires – we would like our donation to go to help families from plenty Valley Christian School. We also held a special whole school prayer meeting Monday last week in support of the bushfire victims.
LITCHIELD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Litchield Christian School are having a free dress day on Friday 27th, we will be selling sausages and collecting donations for face painting. All funds raised will be going directly to our friends and family at Plenty Valley Christian School who have lost their homes. Our classes have been praying daily for all of Victoria and esspecially those who have lost family members and their homes.
WAGGA WAGGA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Our students held a mufti day (in fire fighter colours to raise school and public awareness as well as dollars for the fire recovery. We’ve been in contact with Plenty Valley and are keen to partner them and the wider community as they need. We also got excellent media coverage as part of the general raising of awareness on this.
LAUNCESTON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Launceston Christian School responded by sending Plenty Valley Christian College money as a result of a fundraising day. We also collected half a room full of new and near new clothing and partnered with a local removal company who offered to courier this to Plenty Valley Christian College free of charge. More funds are coming in through donations and we continue to pray for the communities affected by the fires.
BAYSIDE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Bayside Christian College students held a Free Dress Day last Thursday and raised money to go towards the bushfire victims.
CARNARVON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
We’re a small school 900km north of Perth. Children made puppets at home of the people involved in Fires: firefighters, nurses, doctors, victims, police etc. They brought these to school together with a donation. The local newspaper took some photographs of the children and they will be in the paper this week. The children are praying for those involved daily.
KINGSWAY CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Kingsway Christian College is having a day of activities where we will invite parent and community participation on Friday 20 February. We will paint two Australian logos onto our college grounds – one in the secondary area and one in the Primary area. One Australia will depict Perth Western Australia and the other Melbourne and outer regions. We will create a money chain from Perth to Melbourne. Students and parents are invited to donate and complete the money chain. At the same time we will hold a K-12 Sausage sizzle. Local business have kindly donated the goods so all money will go to the bushfire victims. We will also make and sell yellow ribbons to our student and parent community. We are continuing to pray as a whole school for the victims of the disaster and our condolences and prayers are offered to all affected Australians.
BLUE MOUNTAINS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
At Blue Mountains Christian School our kids had a mufti day last Friday and raised money for Victorian schools.
SON CENTRE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Son Centre Christian School. Son Centre recently held a "Red for Red Cross day" The students were invited to dress up wearing red and bring a donation to support the work of the Red Cross.
KUYPER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
The students at Kuyper were showing what Christian leadership is really about by sending the principal a letter identifying the need and a desire to respond in a loving way to help improve the situation of the fires in Victoria. The end result was that we did hold a non-school uniform day and raised money for the appeal.
DUBBO CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Today Dubbo Christian School had a 'Mufti' day to raise money for the appeal. Biscuits have been baked to go on a truck leaving Dubbo to go down to Victoria. Our intention is to be involved with some other ideas driven by a student committee.
ORANGE AND BATHURST CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
Orange and Bathurst Christian Schools responded in several ways. We invited students and families to donate new or good clean items of clothing or household goods and we gave them to a local trucking firm, Tynan Transport, that took them south free of charge. We encouraged people to donate, and lots did. The Student Service Committee raised money and donated that to the appeal. Primary students were asked to think about and pray for the people affected by the fire, and then to write letters to the children whose schools were burned down. We will then find an address to mail those letters. We were particularly impressed by the generosity of families that basically went through parts of their house and bought a duplicate of everything, for example, what do you need for a family bathroom – towels, toiletries etc.
COVENANT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Covenant Christian School had a fundraising event where we sold flowers to be given out on the day before valentine’s day. We charged $5 for a flower with a note attached. Money will go toward supporting victims of the bushfires.
ANNANDALE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Annandale Christian School held a Coloured Clothes (Free Dress) Day on Friday 13th February and students each donated a gold coin to assist those who have suffered loss through the bush fire tragedy. This event was part of a Townsville-wide school-based appeal which encouraged all schools (from State, Catholic, Christian and Independent sectors) to give generously towards the Red Cross Bush Fire Appeal. We are also keen to specifically help Plenty Valley Christian School in a practical way and our staff and students have been praying reguarly for them.
ILLAWARA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Illawarra Christian School (both Cordeaux and Tongarra campuses) have held “gold coin(or more) donation days” for students and community to contribute to support the community of Plenty Valley Christian School in their tough times. We have encouraged our community to be in prayer for the people impacted by both the fires in Victoria as well as the floods in the north.
BEECHBORO CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Beechboro Christian School. Last Friday we had a “Wear Red for Red Cross” day and raised money for bush fire victims. For the next two weeks our school is having an afternoon “Car Wash” and already we have had to turn away willing customers.People are very willing to support activities that will help the Victorian Bush Fire Victims so I think that by the end of two weeks we will have raised considerably more.
NEPEAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Nepean Christian School. We have had an assembly to celebrate and be disturbed by God's severity and mercy. Teachers left the assembly and Student Leaders led discussion on how the student body might respond. Their plans: Our Primary section plans to have an Odd Shoe Day (wearing two different shoes) to remind students that they must walk in the shoes of other people, especially those affected by the bushfires in Vic. Our Secondary students have planned a sleepover on the school oval with minimal comforts and being cared for by local Salvos, to explore the hardship experienced by some people in Vic.Both of these will be fundraising ventures in aid of the victims of the bushfires.
WELLINGTON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Wellington Christian School. We at Wellington have a money donation box. When it is full or appropriate I will forward that onto an agency that can deliver it to where is is needed.
MARRARA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Marrara Christian College is holding an Out of Uniform Day, BBQ and Trash and Treasure Stall on Thursday 19 February. A number of students from all levels of the school came up with different ideas to raise money. When they all met together this day was the outcome. Students and staff are looking forward to wearing the clothing items that annoy Mr Taylor (Assistant Principal and Uniform Grump) the most. But it will cost them more than the usual gold coin. Proceeds will be split equally between Red Cross and Mobile Mission Maintenance who lost their whole base.
HOPE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
A Plenty Valley Christian School Bushfire Appeal has been set up for our school community to contribute to.
MUNDARING CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Mundaring Christian College decided that there are times when children need to learn that we do not always have to get something in return for giving. The essence of a gift is to give without conditions- there are times when peoples need is so great that you just give. This was one of those times.
CHANNEL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Channel Christian School, a primary school in Tasmania, held a morning tea on the Friday after the fires. There was an amazing amount of home made food which was sold that morning and then shared in the evening at the school welcome barbecue. Proceeds were sent to Plenty Valley Christian School bushfire fund.
MID NORTH CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
At Mid North Christian College we ran a sausage sizzle last week asking students to contribute a certain amount for a sausage in bread, a can of drink and an ice block. This was very well supported and a large number of families donated well above the amount we asked as a donation.This week we are running a casual day for all students and staff. We will be asking a gold coin donation to come to school in casual clothes.
SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Both Junior School and High School made coin trails with the combined total being a staggering 31 metres! We have also had a K-6 Sausage sizzle and the High School SRC are looking at another fundraising event for later in the term. The school has also been involved in helping to direct good to the Bowral Baptist Church for distribution to the Bushfire affected areas. Additionally, one of our staff members has been fighting fires in Victoria and has returned with incredible stories of courage and tragedy.
CALVIN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Calvin Secondary School decided to hold two separate events to raise funds for the victims of the recent bushfires. We had a sausage sizzle one day during lunchtime. A few days later we held a Longest Coin Line competition. Each of our home rooms had been bringing their coins along for the previous week. On the day, they lined up their money. We gave very small prizes for the longest line of coins, as well as for the most money raised by a home room. Students gave generously and we will be sending the money to Plenty Valley Christian School.
MARANATHA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
At Maranatha Christian School there has been a whole school community approach to fundraising. The Board of Directors, parents, staff and students, at all three campuses, have all made a concerted effort to support Plenty Valley Christian School. Students at the Endeavour Hills Campus were challenged to donate money from their personal savings. A parent at the Officer Campus held a morning tea which involved the senior students (Year 10), parents and staff. The Board of Directors, staff and parents also made a contribution.
CALVIN PRIMARY SCHOOL
Calvin Primary School in Kingston held an appeal to raise money that was donated to the Red Cross Appeal. Students used their allowances, extra earnings to contribute to the appeal. The focus of the appeal was to express the students’ compassion for those who have lost possessions and comforts in this tragedy.
WYCLIFFE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Wycliffe Christian School held a mufti / fundraising day on the 20.02.09 and raised money for the bush fire victims. This
money will go on to support many areas, but especially Christian schools in Victoria. It was outstanding to see the response that the
students at Wycliffe christian school made, for there fellow students and peers in Victoria.
EMMAUS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
On Tuesday, 10 February, Emmaus Christian School in Canberra (315 students) held a mufti fundraising day encouraging students and staff to wear something red or orange and bring a gold coin donation and/or a tin of food or other non-perishable food item. We also encouraged our Emmaus community to donate blankets, towels, clothing, toys or any other useful items to help fill a shipping container being sent to Victoria. We had a great response with money, as well as many tins of food, and two car loads of other useful items being donated. We continue to think of, and pray for, all those affected by these devastating bushfires. To see such an outpouring of so many forms of generosity from all over Australia, and the world, towards the bushfire victims has been amazing, and such an encouragement to those affected, as well as to fellow-Australians. We also thank God for the workers and volunteers who have worked selflessly and tirelessly, and those who will continue to help with the many aspects of rebuilding lives and communities.
STRATHALBYN CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Our hearts were turned to compassion on hearing the needs of families that had lost all their possessions, so a note was sent home to our families if they could donate items of non-perishable food, blankets, books, toys and clothes – we had a connection to a truck that was travelling to Victoria empty. The items had to come in within one day and we were amazed to see our canteen area half full of generous donations. At the same time four little girls in Year 4 had drawn a poster and written a plea for people to donate money, made a pretty tin and were excited that they might be able to collect $100 – our Secondary students were challenged with that and have now started their own collection. We will have to wait and see what they come up with. We thank God that He has been meeting the needs of these Victorian people and we pray that through this tragedy that people will turn their hearts to the one that can make all the difference – Jesus.
SOUTH COAST CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
South Coast Christian College felt the first effects of the fires on Thursday 29th January with the Boolarra, Mirboo North, Darlimurla fires. Fortunately, none of our families lost homes, and nobody lost life during these fires. The fires in Kinglake/Whittlesea, Bunyip and Churchill areas the following weekend had a much more devastating impact, and to be honest, we felt quite helpless. Apart from contacting sister schools and praying, there was little we could do directly, so we decided to act locally. Students made thank you cards for the Leongatha & District and Mirboo North fire brigades. The college made a donation of money to the Leongatha & District Brigades, and the proceeds from our Shrive Tuesday pancake stall is being donated to the Mirboo North Brigade. In addition, our SRC organised a casual clothes day and raised money for the Salvation Army Bushfire Appeal - not a bad effort for 170 students. At our new parents evening last night, one of the parents, who was also a member of the Mirboo North Brigade, commented on how touched the members had been to receive a card - and the fact that some of the non-Christian members had asked him what the quoted bible references were - a great ministry opportunity. Nearly everybody knows of somebody who has been affected by fire, so we continue to pray for all those who have lost homes, family, friends, and encourage each other in seeking God's wisdom and understanding in these difficult times.
CHAIRO CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
The recent Bushfires in Victoria had an impact on the Middle School Community of Chairo Christian School. While we had no staff or students that lost personal homes, some members of the School Community suffered extensive damage to surrounding property. Many of our families chose to evacuate on Black Saturday and some chose to leave. This has left some students still expressing anxiety and apprehension as soon as there is any sign of smoke. Some of the specific things that we have done at Middle School include:
- A whole School Assembly where students were reassured of God’s protection, encouraged to pray and consider their response to the fires.
- A list of students who were directly impacted was formulated from class surveys.
- Our Performing Arts Class began a Fund Raiser.
- We held a Casual Clothes Day with all money raised being donated to the Bushfire appeal.
- Staff and students have been assisting local families that have been affected by cleaning up around their properties.
We continue to pray for those families that have been affected and would value continued prayers as you a reminded of this event.
What is your school doing? Click here to email us an update and we shall add to this news item.