Motivators and mobilisers - Shiree Pilkinton

At left:  Shiree Pilkinton in conversation with
Dr. Sundrum Sivamalia of the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council Inc (BRMC) 

There is a person in our Ballarat community called Shiree Pilkinton.  She works here in #Ballarat at the Centre for Multicultural Youth.  She does a lot of work with refugees.  Shiree has a host of contacts and friendships across the community.  When she is organising an event and needs some food - out goes the call from Shiree in the DM on Facebook calling for slices and other goodies and the food turns up.

Yesterday, the DM went a bit further than the need for slices and other goodies.  Won't go into all the details but the gist of it was that a woman from an African country who is on her own with a number of children was in a bit of strife.  The woman was behind in the rent and her cupboard was bare. Her money had gone back to Africa to help a relative.  The money she wold have used for rent she had held back to feed the family.

Shiree's SOS went out with an AMAZING response.  She now advises that the woman is so grateful.  There is now food in the cupboard - at least to get her into next week.  There is fuel in her car so she can get kids to schools.  This meant she could release the money she was holding back and has now paid her rent.

It is a good thing to have lynch pins in one's community like Shiree.  They are motivators and mobilisers.  It is good to have responsive people in our community who move in with good will to enable someone like Shiree to place help where it is sorely needed.  The woman Shiree and Co have helped is grateful to one and all.