Bushfire response

By Bridget Cook
DANDENONG community groups and residents have dug deep to help those affected by bushfires.
Groups including Dandenong’s Salvation Army and the Vietnamese community have helped victims of Black Saturday by distributing donated items and holding a memorial dinner respectively.
The Salvation Army in Dandenong was inundated with donated clothing and items.
“We have had a huge amount of donations, it’s been quite overwhelming, really,” said logistics operation manager for the Salvation Army, Daniel Simmons.
Mr Simmons said they have had a great response from the community.
“Many people have been volunteering their time, especially on weekends,” he said.
Director of the Springvale Indo-Chinese Mutual Assistance Association, Phong Nguyen, spoke at the Vietnamese memorial service and dinner held to raise money for the bushfire appeal.
The dinner was attended by nearly 700 guests from the Vietnamese community, councillors from the City of Greater Dandenong, and invited guests from emergency services.
They raised $82,765.
“For us the fires have killed, maimed and destroyed homes of our benefactors,” Mr Nguyen said. He said he was overwhelmed by all the volunteers who wanted to help make the dinner a success.
“They made it a meaningful event worthy of our community’s gratefulness towards Australia and the victims.”