Good samaritan SQIT students get dirty for flood clean-up
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE's (SQIT) agricultural students are working hard to give Charleville a 'clean slate', volunteering in the area's flood recovery efforts.
Supervised by SQIT Rural teacher Darryl Aspinall, Certificate II and III in Agriculture students have been repairing fences and mustering stock as part of the flood fencing project - a community recovery operation organised by South West Natural Resources Management, in conjunction with the Murweh Shire Council.
SQIT Charleville Campus Business Coordinator Debbie Richardson said students jumped at the chance to participate, and look forward to continuing their involvement with the project for the long term.
"Students are finding volunteering incredibly rewarding, as not only are they making a tangible difference to their community's recovery, they're also applying their rural knowledge and training from the classroom and campus to a real life situation," Ms Richardson said.
Bruce Schmidt is one of the residents to benefit from SQIT Charleville Campus students' assistance, after his property near the Warrego River catchment area - 27 Mile Garden, was severely damaged by flood.
"The students did a wonderful job with the damaged fencing - over two full days they erected fence posts, cleaned all the rubbish off, and strained wires - I'm very grateful for their efforts," said Mr Schmidt.
Other flood recovery activities students are involved in include spraying noxious weeds spread by flood waters, chain saw operations for fallen trees and debris, and other flood-related recovery tasks.
Students will continue to assist the Charleville community in the clean-up on an as-needed basis for the rest of the year.
To find out more about Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE'S Agricultural courses please call 4694 1600 or visit http://sqit.tafe.qld.gov.au/