Have a Drink for the Drought Day

Melbourne charity formed to assist rural families crippled by drought

Media Release - 19/2/03
For Immediate Release

DRINK SOME WATER TO HELP THE BUSH

If you were to fork out a gold coin donation for just one of the many free glasses of water you consume in one day, you could buy a drought and bushfire stricken Australian rural family enough to live on for more than a month.

That is what TANKfill is asking Victorians to do in their workplace, school or local community on Wednesday February 26 to help ensure the most struggling of our rural friends neednt have to worry about the most basic necessity of survival -- water.

To help, register your office, school or community group with TANKfill at their website http://groups.msn.com/TANKfill/homepage. TANKfill will send you out enough cordial to mix with the water to make ten litres of tasty beverage to sell to your colleagues and friends.

All money raised from the temporary cordial stands around Melbourne on 26 February will go towards buying and transporting tanks of pure drinking water to the most needy families in the State.

Supported by the Country Womens Association of Victoria and Cottees, TANKfill is a charitable trust established by some young, professional Melbournians frustrated by their feelings of helplessness as the daily media translated the plights of rural communities crippled by drought and bushfires.

The water we are seeking to provide is the most basic necessity that city-based Australians may sometimes take for granted," said Ms Rhonda Baird, Director of TANKfill. It is the water we drink and wash in, the water that runs our households, and the provision of it to families who need it might just alleviate their hardship enough to help them keep battling for a while longer."

Cottees have supplied the cordial for the event and a fee-free Bendigo Bank account has been opened to manage the funds raised.

The CWA will identify the families most in need of such assistance and TANKfill will arrange the purchase and delivery of one truckload - 3000 gallons or 13,600 litres -- that will last an average household four to six weeks.

With these tanks costing around $90 plus $1 p/km mileage, TANKfill estimate they will be able to assist one family for every $140 raised.

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For Further Information (not for publication):
Paul Scully - 0425 789 653