port douglas & mossman gazette thursday july 3 2014 …€¦ · lot 7/32 macrossan street, port...

PORT DOUGLAS & MOSSMAN GAZETTE THURSDAY JULY 3 2014 07

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Megan wins awardAN unscrupulous salesmantargeting the indigenous com-munity of Mossman with exor-bitant loan rates has led to no-interest-loan scheme beingintroduced into the area, forwhich its co-ordinator, MeganBlacklow has been recognisedwith an award.

Ms Blacklow, who workswith the Port Douglas Neigh-bourhood Centre, was so suc-cessful in introducing thenationally recognised no-in-

terest-loans scheme (NILS)that today 90 per cent of NILSclients are from that commun-ity.

She was nominated by thePort Douglas NeighbourhoodCentre NILS committee forthe GAVAN Podbury awardfor NILS excellence.

Ms Blacklow was attendingthe annual National NILS con-ference in Brisbane when herwin was announced.

In accepting her award Ms

Blacklow shared her pride inbeing a part of the communi-ties’ progress toward intergen-erational financial inclusion.

She happily accepted aprize that went her withaward, a 55 inch 3D smarttelevision donated by TheGood Guys Commercial Sales,who are now sponsors ofGood Shepherd Microfinance,which is the largest microfi-nance organisation in Austra-lia.

Adam Mooney, CEO of Good Shepherd Microfinance, Megan Blacklow and Professor John Langmore, Chair Good Shepherd Microfinance

Peter and Ruth Ross of the Wonga fireys, with Bushy, the Rural Fire Brigade volunteers mascot Picture: SHANE NICHOLS

WONGA Rural Fire Servicemade the most of the opening ofthe new skate park in WongaBeach last Saturday, with astand and a truck on display, anda hapless soul wanderingaround in a huge suit ‒ Bushy,the fireys’ mascot.

They were there not just tojoin in the fun but to drum upmore support, and in particular,win recruits for its very thinkranks of volunteers.

The situation was bad ‒ theWonga Beach unit has twotrucks but only six active volun-teers. But the extra effort paidoff somewhat on Saturday whenthey gained another four re-cruits.

“Another six recruits wouldbe good,” said local memberPeter Ross, a stalwart who’sbeen with the unit for decades,along with his wife Ruth.

“But really we’d like anothernine.”

Ruth is already running flatout as secretary, treasurer andseveral other committee posts.

The Wonga Beach fireys’area stretches from Rocky Pointto the turn-off to the DaintreeRiver ferry.

Mr Ross says they need a big-ger crew to be able to fully manthe two trucks and have a backup when things are busy.

They might be called out upto three times in a busy week ‒cane fires, fires from BBQs onthe beach, house fires etc ‒ andthen they might be left alone forweeks on end.

One of the new recruits fromSaturday was Michelle Priceand her husband who have justmoved to Wonga Beach.

They were farmers at Tow-rang, which is near Canberra,and were members of the localbrigade for 37 years.

Mrs Price did communica-tions for the whole bush firezone in the area.

“I’ve got a life membership ofthe local brigade down there,”she said.

She said it wasn’t good theWonga unit was down to sixmembers “but hopefully they’llget some new members and getgoing a bit more”.

Wonga fireys pump it upSHANE NICHOLS

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