LIONS CLUBS REACH THEIR MILLION DOLLAR GOAL!!
On a cattle station near Hughenden Brian Egan first met Brian McAtee who had stopped to see what Aussie Helpers were doing giving stock feed away to graziers and when Brian Egan explained to him the huge cost involved in doing this type of drought relief work he told me that Lions should be able to do something to help
Brian McAtee invited Brian Egan to a meeting at Castle Hill Lions Club and it was there about two and a half years ago that Brian McAtee made a pledge as the new President of Castle Hill Lions to raise one million dollars for Drought Relief. Sure Brian Egan was sceptical that this could be done but I did not realise the passion and drive that this man has to achieve it seems whatever he sets his mind too
It did not take long for the donations to start rolling in and Aussie Helpers put this money into keeping many graziers in Western Queensland in business, not just with hay and everyday goods but an increase of visitations to these isolated farming families to help them keep their dream alive and of course this increase in visits dramatically dropped the amount of self-harm and suicides and related domestic violence in these remote areas
Brian McAtee not forgetting the country town business who were also suffering started the buying of gift vouchers from local businesses wherever Aussie Helpers was operating and I know from comments from some of these small business owners that those injections of funds helped keep their doors open.
The story goes on in regard to mental health and through the efforts of Brian McAtee and Phil Highland Aussie Helpers have been successful in setting up our own mental health program called Virtual psychologist where isolated families can seek assistance simply by texting or emailing a Psychologist, this is a first for this type of counselling in Australia, not even done by Life Line or Beyond Blue and it works.
“Brian old Mate you will be pleased to know that your one million dollar pledge was reached this week and words really fail me, you have had an idea and carried the idea through into reality and on the way your dream has helped hundreds of farming families to beat the odds and are still on their properties”
“On behalf of these farming families and people in the bush in general I say thank you for having the tenacity, thoughtfulness and generosity of spirit to help keep the dream alive for many farming families”( Brian Egan)