Posted by John Mason on Nov 22, 2021
Bringing Joy in a time of Depression. For more than a decade, RCBMC has teamed with Community organisations in Glen Eira and Kingston to provide Christmas Cakes, Puddings and Mince pies to bring some Christmas Cheer to those who are doing it tough. The goodies are packed and delivered to the Salvation Army, Family Life, The Holland Foundation, and Glen Eira Community Information and Support Services.
These organisations are then able, through their various clients and contacts to distribute the items to where they are most needed.
This year, the Community Service Committee decided to make up Christmas Hampers to include the basics for a meal, and some additional treats to lift the spirits of the recipients. Committee members selected and purchased all the items and assembled them in a ’spare bedroom’ where, with a working bee, all items were packed into bags ready for distribution to each of the agencies. It surprised some committee members how heavy each bag was. Trying to pick up eight at a time to load into a car proved impossible, so they were loaded two by two.
The receiving agencies were all very appreciative of the gifts, although it did create a storage problem for some. In all one hundred Hampers were delivered, plus some additional Cakes, Puddings, and Mince Pies. The project did emphasise the amount of packaging associated with the enterprise, and the need for additional garbage disposal bins.  An additional benefit of the project was that much of the merchandise was sourced (paid for) from Rotary operations; including the Rotary Foundation, Puddings from the RC Melton Valley, the Mince pies from  RC M.A.S.H. which helped their fundraising endeavours,
 
The Bed Room ‘Warehouse'
The Packing Team about to begin
Delivery to Glen Eira Community Information and Support Services
The contents of the Hampers
Some of the packing left behind as rubbish