Come and support Paddling for Refugees!

Yes, yes, it’s been a while between blog posts, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t been keeping our friends posted (bad pun, sorry) about all the news with us. Between our wicked Wednesday newsletters and our online forum, our members can hear from us more often than their family members if they like – that’s the way we like it. But Ok, we will do our best in the coming weeks so our blog doesn’t feel like the neglected child. More posts more often!

We heard about this great community initiative, Paddling for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, last year when its founder Simon Keenan completed a 2,226 km, 114 day, solo paddle down the Murray River (pictured below). His adventure raised more than $13,000 to help refugees and asylum seekers who are living in Australia on Bridging Visas and Temporary Protection Visas.

Although these refugees are living lawfully in the community, many are vulnerable and desperate because they can't legally be employed, they have no access to Medicare, and no access to Centrelink or other government services. Paddling for Refugees and Asylum Seekers estimates there are more than 1,000 of these cases in Melbourne alone, and some have been on these visas for over 5 years.

As we type and upload this post, Simon and his band of supporters are preparing to paddle the length of Melbourne’s Yarra River to raise more funds and awareness of their initiative. They’ll finish off with a Mega Benefit Celebration on Sunday afternoon at Melbourne Rowing Club near Flinders Street Bridge in the city. The entertainment includes performances by hip hop groups TZU (pictured below), Diafrix and Symbiosis and short films will screen. They’re also running a raffle or an auction, not quite sure what… but we DO know there are some fabulous prizes to be won, including a VILAIN BOUTIQUE SHEET SET – just the thing to curl up in after a big day of kayaking in the great outdoors! We’re really chuffed to be supporting the Mega Benefit Celebration and you can be sure some of the Vilain crew will be getting down to TZU on Sunday night!

Tickets are $20/$15 concession and available on the door.
All proceeds will go to Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Hotham Mission Asylum Seeker Project.
For more info, check out http://www.paddlingforrefugees.org/