MORALE BOOST: David Black sits in the living room of his home that was damaged by the March floods. He will be among those attending a special lunch on Sunday for residents to catch up at the Yenda Diggers Club. Picture: Anthony Stipo
FOUR months after floods tore the tight-knit community of Yenda apart, residents are still coming to terms with the devastation.
In an effort to boost morale, a special lunch is being held this Sunday, July 22 at the Yenda Diggers Club.
This will be the fourth community gathering of its kind and according to long-time resident Val Twigg, it almost certainly won’t be the last.
“We’ve got to continue to pull together, let off some steam and just reconnect,” she said.
“A lot of builders are saying that it could be until after Christmas before some people will get back home.
“What started me getting interested in this was a comment from my five-year-old granddaughter Juleesa.
She asked where she could find a little friend that she hasn’t seen since the floods. I couldn’t answer it for her.
“It sparked something for me. I realised it’s not just the adults who are trying to come to terms with what has happened and that we all need to try and keep in touch.
“If you come out to Yenda it’s a pretty miserable sight. You can’t hear any dogs, there are hardly any cars in the street and it just sounds eerie. Our kids are back in the public school but the preschool isn’t back yet.
“Everything is so disjointed, this is a chance for people to catch up with neighbours and find out how everyone is doing.”
For a gold coin donation, Yenda residents will enjoy a two-course lunch, with ID to be shown at the door.
Those from outside Yenda may attend but the cost will be $10 per person.
Griffith Buslines has agreed to provide a free bus and driver for the day. The bus will pick up in Griffith from the Visitors Information Centre car park at noon and will return at 2.30pm.
Numbers are needed by midday Friday, July 20. Contact Val on 0429 681182 if you’d like to take the bus.