Collecting Gifts for Christmas so no Young Person misses out

10/11/2022 Reprint STAR MAIL Group

By Mikayla van Loon

Christmas can be stressful at the best of times but with the added pressure of the cost of living, present donation drives like that from the Rotary Club of Lilydale will go a long way to making the festive season a happy time for more people.

After such success last year, Gerry and Anne Van Horrick decided to organise the Wishing Tree donation drive again to support two local organisations in Anchor and the Yarra Ranges Proactive Policing Unit. silent ones who are doing it tough,” she said. “The teenage cohort is very difficult to buy for and anyone who’s had a teenager will know that but some of these teenagers even if they got a Target voucher or Kmart voucher or JB Hi Fi voucher, something so they can go and get what they need.” As one of the recipients last year, Anchor’s Partnership and Development Lead Lauren Gordon said the Lilydale office was incredibly grateful to be a part of the Wishing Tree once again.

“We had over 800 presents worth over $16,000 and we had about $2,000 in gift vouchers,” Ms Van Horrick said. This year Mr Van Horrick said the age bracket for gifts has been raised to help provide for more teenagers, up to the age of 18, across the local area.

Yarra Ranges Crime Prevention Officer, Leading Senior Constable Linda Hancock said because the Proactive Policing Unit supports a cohort of young people at local high schools, it would be lovely to include them in this year’s donations. “There’s a lot of kids in mainstream schools that don’t get something like this…we’ve got that next level of where they are engaged with mainstream schools but they’re those “We are so proud of the way our own community is once again responding directly to the families and children we support this Christmas,” she said. “Lilydale Rotary is setting a fine example of what an enormous difference community spirit can make. Contributions both large and small make what is quite often a stressful and triggering time for so many, an enjoyable occasion for many of the communities most vulnerable.” Leading S/C Hancock said between four schools across Mooroolbark, Lilydale and the Upper Yarra she would think there would be at least 200 students who could benefit from a gift at Christmas.

“We’re just like Anchor, we have a cohort of

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people that we know we deal with and we think they need to be thrown into the mix because they’re usually people that don’t want to be identified.

“You go into a house and there’s no heating on and there’s three teenagers. It’s pretty sad. And you know the heating is not on because it’s unpaid but no one’s talking about it and they don’t ask for help.” Ms Van Horrick said it wasn’t until last year’s Christmas period that she began to understand the need in the Lilydale area.

“We never really knew a lot about this until we started doing this just how much need there is in the community,” she said. “People close their doors at night. They are warm, they’ve got the TV on, lights on, but there’s a lot of people not like that but we don’t know about those people until you start talking to [Anchor or the Proactive Policing Unit].” The partnerships now formed with Lilydale Rotary, Anchor and Yarra Ranges Police are only expected to strengthen beyond this project.

“I’m really glad it’s another project we can do with Rotary. We’ve done a few others but it’s another one where Rotary is branching out to be inclusive of as many people as possible,” leading S/C Hancock said.

“We hadn’t done much with community policing before but with a more local focus, we’re glad we reached out to Linda because she knows of the people who are falling through the cracks,” Mr Van Horrick said. From just 14 businesses who participated last year, it has now expanded to 22 in and around Lilydale.

Where to donate:

Fully Promoted, Factory 4/115 Canterbury Rd, Kilsyth Fully Promoted, Unit 1/105-111 Ricketts Rd, Mount Waverley Gami’s – 51-59 Anderson St, Lilydale Eastwood Golf Club, 332 Liverpool Rd, Kilsyth South Children’s House of Early Learning, 47 Chandler Rd, Boronia Children’s House of Early Learning, 32 Monbulk Rd, Mount Evelyn Stockdale and Leggo, 281 Main St, Lilydale Mingarra Retirement Village, 2 Chevalier Dr, Croydon Lakeview Kindergarten and Childcare, 24 Lakeview Dr, Lilydale Swinburne Children’s Centre, 435-437 Maroondah Hwy, Lilydale Eastern Regional Library Building L5 Box Hill Institute Lilydale Lakeside Campus Jarlo Drive, Lilydale Chirnside Park Community Hub, 33 Kimberley Dr, Chirnside Park VIC 3116 Yarra Junction Community Hub, 2463 Warburton Highway, Yarra Junction. CIRE Head Office, Level 1 7/9 John St, Lilydale Genesis Health and Fitness, 446 Maroondah Hwy, Lilydale Harrow and Harvest, 42-44 Castella St, Lilydale Interact, Lilydale Heights College, 17-19 Nelson Rd, Lilydale The Running Company 242 Main St, Lilydale MiCare – Beatrix Village, 843 Mt Dandenong Rd, Montrose Evelyn Ridge Retirement Village, 120 Clegg Rd, Mount Evelyn Physica Yarra Valley, 237 Maroondah Hwy, Chirnside Park Maz’s Hair and Beauty, 6 Snowball Ave, Mount Evelyn Manchester Rd Dental Surgery, 27 Manchester Rd, Mooroolbark

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“Times are a lot different this year, lots of people are struggling,” “It’s probably more important this year than what it was last year,” Ms Van Horrick added.

Donations are being collected until 2 December, with some businesses collecting children’s toys and books, while others are focusing on the older teens to ensure everyone can receive a gift.

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Cheryl Mackay owner of Mt Evelyn Children’s House of early Learning will be gathering gifts and presents for the second year Tiffany got into the Christmas Spirit at the Lilydale Library, with all proceeds from a recent book sale going towards purchasing vouchers. Pictures: SUPPLIED.

Lilydale Stockdale and Leggo owners Sharyn and Max Manning are back on board with the Wishing Tree project having already collected gifts and toys Beaux Glenn, owner of Genesis Health and Wellbeing was so excited to participate again this year.

(LEFT) Proactive Policing Unit members Luke Egginton and Linda Hancock, Rotary's Anne Van Horrick, Anchor's Peter Dinsdale, Rotary's Gerry Van Horrick and Anchor's Lauren Gordon came together to discuss the need in the Lilydale community. Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON.