Garage sale aids two causes

UKRAINIANS displaced by the current conflict impacting their nation will benefit from a four-day Leongatha charity garage sale, with part of the proceeds also going to WaterAid to provide clean water and good hygiene to those in need in various countries.

The sale run by Johanna Haasjes continues this Friday and Saturday.

Johanna will direct three quarters of the sale proceeds to Mission Without Borders, which is working on the ground in Ukraine, with the remaining 25 percent of funds going to WaterAid.

She is familiar with the work of Mission without Borders, having been part of a group of ladies knitting goods distributed by the organisation, something it no longer does for logistical reasons.

“Anybody would be upset about the whole Ukraine situation,” Johanna said.

She added that one of the achievements of Mission without Borders has been to get a number of Ukrainian people with cancer into hospital in Poland.

Johanna has long been running charity stalls, previously at Mirboo North and Leongatha and continuing to do so in Tarwin Lower, with people giving generously to assist valuable causes.

She said while the Ukraine situation demands action, the needs of those assisted by WaterAid are still there and mustn’t be forgotten.

“I have long been a WaterAid campaigner,” Johanna said.

Being a teacher, she places great importance on education, but said clean and safe water is essential to life.

She explained that without satisfactory hygiene opportunities people can’t live dignified and healthy lives.

Johanna is impressed by WaterAid’s philosophy of training local people to become self-sufficient.

At the charity garage sale, as well as a wide selection of donated goods, Johanna’s delicious home-baked shortbread is available to purchase, an opportunity this scribe didn’t miss.

The range of goods is topped up daily.

Charity Garage Sale details

When: Friday July 8 and Saturday July 9 from 8am until 3pm.

Where: 8 Trease Street, Leongatha.