Chappy Chat

There has been a great response to the first few weeks of the Rainbow Beach Community Pantry with many locals dropping off supplies for the benefit of families in our community who need some support.

Victory Care at Maryborough and locals have also donated frozen meals which have been greatly appreciated and the Community Pantry was able to provide Victory Care hampers for families at Rainbow Beach, Cooloola Cove, Tin Can Bay, and Maryborough over the Christmas period.

We now have an agreement with Woolies at Cooloola Cove to pick up veggies, frozen goods and household supplies twice a week that are past their “best before” date and hopefully the amount of goods will increase once regular supplies are available once again.

It has been a real privilege to be able to sit and chat with a wide variety of people from the community: mums, dads, children, teenagers, single parents, and older folk living on their own. Most days there is a steady stream between 10am and 2pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the time flies!

Even though I can’t be chaplain at the school due to the COVID vaccination mandate, I hope that the Rainbow Beach Community will consider me as your community chaplain and that you will feel comfortable dropping in for a chat about anything that is concerning you.

An exciting development is the news that Pindari Life Ltd, a registered charity run by Gillian and Alfie Berliner who recently moved to Gympie, will be providing governance and insurance cover for the pantry and other activities that will soon be happening at the church.

Pindari Life began in Ashford, New South Wales several years ago where Gillian and Alfie and their team provided programs for disadvantaged youth and families, youth at risk, school groups, and special interest groups. Since their move to Queensland, they have run several school and adventure camps in the Gympie and Rainbow Beach area.

From Tuesday 1 February, the Rainbow Beach Learning Community based at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Carlo Road will be offering a range of activities for children and teenagers who are being homeschooled.

Held on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9am and 3pm activities will include art, photography, sewing, computer skills, cooking and outdoor activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking, fishing, bush skills and nature play. These activities will be run by a team of experienced locals with the proposed cost being $10 per child each day to cover supplies, capped at $20 per family.

If you would be interested in your child being involved in these activities, please contact Chappy Ronnie for an application form, either by email: ronnie.timperon@gmail.com or call into the hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10am and 2pm to pick one up in person. Spaces are limited to 20 children. For more information, please call Ronnie on 0413 135 867.

We are also starting to plan for this year’s Sandcastle Competition, following the success of last year’s competition, where hundreds of locals and visitors had a fantastic morning creating amazing sand sculptures and winning great prizes donated by local businesses.

Sandshapers of Noosa will again be in attendance to inspire us with one of their incredible creations. The competition will be held during the first week of the school holidays on Wednesday 13 April, so make sure that you save the date and start getting a team together to plan and build your sand creation.