WHEN Trafalgar South’s Paul Smart and his team of sales consultants met recently, one of the most pressing issues on their mind was the Gippsland bushfires.
A senior district manager with Lorraine Lea Linen, Mr Smart said many of his 30-strong team felt helpless, having friends and family members in the fire-affected area.
Inspired to lend a hand, the group found not-for-profit group WRAP (Wildlife Rescue And Protection) was in need of supplies to care for and feed injured wildlife.
“We thought as linen consultants, we have access to a lot of people that are going to have unwanted towels and sheets, which is what WRAP needed,” Mr Smart said.
“We put word out on Saturday, with (my home) as a drop-off point, and bags upon bags of unwanted towels arrived.
“The level of generosity was amazing.”
Mr Smart estimated the group managed to collect one car load full of linen, which would be delivered to Greencross Animal Clinic on the Princes Highway.
“Linen is very important, because the animals need it to be able to sleep comfortably; it’s just one element we thought we could do as a group,” he said.
“I’m very proud of my team, and want other people to realise they can do something as well.
“The message I want to get out is, ‘come on guys, you can help too’.”
Meanwhile, WRAP secretary Heather Tagliabue said the Gippsland-based group had also been overwhelmed by the public’s generosity.
“Linen and towels are used for rescue purposes and ongoing uses for baskets and cages to make sure (the animals) are comfortable,” Mrs Tagliabue said.
“In a fire situation, animals get stressed, dehydrated, disorientated and hungry.
“At this stage, we don’t know what’s out there because we haven’t been able to access the fire ground yet.”
She said at present, the group had enough linen, but was accepting monetary donations.
For more information on how to assist WRAP, visit their website at www.wrap.org.au
