• Rochester Salvos respond to floods
The northern town of Rochester, on the Campaspe River in Victoria, received more than 150mm of rain and the town was ordered to evacuate on Monday 8 January. Although the river is now at minor flood level and receding, there is still water over the roads and it’s not yet safe for residents to return.
The Rochester Corps, which was inundated by flood waters in the 2022 floods and had only recently re-opened, had water up to the driveway but was not damaged.
Over the past few days, Rochester Corps Officers, Captains Cameron and Maryanne Lovering, and their team, have been supporting State Emergency Service (SES) teams and locals impacted by the floods.
“We supplied a fish and chip lunch to SES workers, served 46 for dinner at the corps, provided breakfast and coffee for Australian Defence Force (ADF) workers and made the corps available for them to take a break from their sandbagging,” said Cameron. “We also ordered 66 pizzas for dinner for the impacted community and emergency services, including the ADF.
“We have been handing out cold cans of drink and chocolate bars to the volunteers on the sand-bagging lines and are also funding a pizza meal from Rochy Pizza for the local football and netball club players who were a part of that work.
“Around 300 burgers for the community for dinner was also provided at Bowser Bean (BP servo).
“We know that building relationships and camaraderie is one of the best ways to help people recover from disasters, so we get behind these events.”
Many people in the Rochester community are still recovering from the catastrophic flood event in October 2022, with many still living in sheds, caravans and damaged homes. Others have only recently moved back into repaired homes.
“This has been an emotionally triggering event for many and there is a general angst in the community,” said Cameron. “We are doing all we can to provide food, fellowship, friendship and pastoral care and to help facilitate community recovery.
“The Salvation Army has been in the community supporting people for almost 135 years, and we will continue to live, love and fight alongside them.”
