Reflection – Natalie Heller – Operation Dexter

by Philip Whitcher | Nov 3, 2020 | Member Reflections, Operation Dexter Reflection, Operations

I am an Environmental Engineer, a mom to 2 very rambunctious boys and a wife.

I am Canadian / American, and I moved to Australia 2 months ago.

After coming out of quarantine, I needed to find something for me to do.

I saw some information in regard to SES however they only take intakes once a year and that is not until March. I needed to find something now.

I wanted to do something more productive than 16 loads of laundry, productive.

I did some googling and came across Disaster Relief Australia and felt that this would be a great fit for me.

From Op Dexter I think I will leave a little more relaxed. I really like to throw myself into hard manual labour. It feels really good for the soul.

I come from a Defence background as my Dad did 20 years in the Canadian Air Force. After he finished in the Air Force he threw himself into hard manual labour.

I feel that this is one of the reasons I find this type of labour cathartic.

I will definitely do another deployment and I am looking forward to being part of the Canberra DRT.

I have loved the feeling of mateship that DRA has shown – it has been an awesome experience.

The Team has given me some awesome cultural experience and I have learned a lot in regards to my Australian cultural immersion.

I have learned a lot of the Australian vernacular and this has been amazing and so much fun.

I feel incredibly included with this group – they have welcomed me and made me feel like I am a part of this great team.

News

DRA wins Australian Charity Award for 3rd consecutive year
We are excited to announce that Disaster Relief Australia has been recognised for an Outstanding Achievement in The Australian Charity Awards 2022. This is the third consecutive year that DRA has received an award in this category which recognises charitable organisations that have achieved outstanding results through initiatives that have significantly benefited charitable causes. The 2022 Outstanding Achievement was awarded to DRA for our plans to build our veteran-led volunteer base to create a fit-for-purpose model of continued service to the nation, while at the same time, establishing veterans as a much-needed national asset in disaster resilience and recovery. Our plans to build our volunteer workforce over the next three years will address a whole-of-nation resilience-based approach to disaster management, which recognises that a national, coordinated, and cooperative effort is needed to enhance Australia’s capacity to withstand and recover from emergencies and disasters. In partnership with the Australian Government’s announced funding, we will be significantly building our organisation, infrastructure and capability to always provide optimal support and relief for vulnerable communities affected by natural and #humanitarian disasters. We will further develop systems to connect with other emergency response and relief agencies and increase interoperability as well as to recruit more volunteers into DRA.  Volunteering with DRA is a great way for anyone wishing to expand their skills set and either deploy into communities impacted by disaster to aid in their recovery or other #opportunities volunteering behind the scenes to support our recovery operations and daily non-profit activities. To learn more about our award submission visit: Australian Charity Awards – 2022 Winners
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Lismore resident and owner of the Music Bizarre in Magellan Street Lismore, Debra Ray thought she was ready for future floods.
With lessons learned from 2017, Debra thought the upstairs of her store was well protected against rising waters. She was wrong. The 2022 Northern Rivers flood hit hard. Her premises, stock and irreplaceable collectables were significantly damaged. Under pressure and devastated, Debra attempted to repair the damage, run her business and manage the loss of her home in South Lismore.  With overwhelming tasks piled high, DRA stepped in. They relocated damp and mouldy records, cleaned stock and cleared areas for use again. Debra said of the team: “I just couldn’t stop saying oh my god, oh my god because it had such a huge impact. To really see the progress is psychologically uplifting and amazing. For example, there was a team member who fixed my roller door. It had been damaged after the flood and was covered in mud. Just to see the blue paint on the door rather than the mud was phenomenally uplifting. I don’t know why I keep using the word uplifting, but it was just amazing.” 
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Thank You… end of year message from our CEO

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