Written by Heidi Willis, third year student and Wing Leader Coordinator
Despite many Emmanuel College students being directly impacted themselves by the flooding of the Brisbane River in the recent South-East Queensland and northern New South Wales floods, the student population came out in force to help the local St Lucia community.
As the banks of the river broke Martin wing watched as the river swamped the carpark and basketball courts, before safely evacuating to higher ground. The wing is currently in split-residence between the 2nd Residence Wing and at Grace College, and displayed maturity and leadership during the evacuation process. Despite watching flood waters reach their own home, Martin as well as the rest of the college, were out in force helping the rest of the St Lucia.
The Emmanuel community came together to lend out a hand to the hundreds of local houses who were impacted. The very muddy Emmanuel students roamed the lower-lying streets of St Lucia, with buckets, brooms, gloves, and a willingness to help, stopping by every house impacted and offering to lend a hand. There were many emotional scenes from grateful families who had lost much of their lives to the water. Everyone was incredibly appreciative for the Emmanuel students who were helping move furniture, bucket water, and sometimes just giving a well-needed hug.
Helping out with clean-up was moving; seeing the loss so many suffered was devastating but knowing that the college was helping to ease the burden on the community was a touching experience. We all truly felt the impact of helping others in their time of need. Councillor James MacKay, as well as the ABC and the Courier Mail, all extensively reported on the floods and the community clean-up effort. On the 4th of March, Emmanuel was thanked in a Courier Mail article for the generosity of out student community in our willingness to help[1].
