The generosity of grey nomads and other travellers is making a real difference to children living in remote areas of outback Queensland.
Older travellers have responded enthusiastically to a ‘Books for the Bush’ program running in the western town of Longreach. They have donated hundreds of books to help in the education of children living on stations who rarely get the chance to get to the local library.
The Parents and Citizens Association (PCA) at the Longreach School of Distance Education – which draws its students from an area about twice the size of Victoria – runs the program.
Coordinator Colleen Nicholls says distance education can be more expensive because of the high use of technology. Now, classes are sometimes run in front of tourists and grey nomads, who can then buy books to supplement the school’s library.
Ms Nicholls told the ABC that book donations are up 33% in the first six months of this year, compared to last year.
“We found that our library was not getting fully stocked for the books that we needed, so through this program, we can supply the children with the newest books,” she said. “It is just because it is a lovely program – you know where your money is going … there are a lot of people who want to just donate.
Ms Nicholls says the travellers’ generosity was deeply appreciated.
“It’s just amazing how compassionate our visitors really are,” she told the ABC. “We had a gentleman last year, who just gave us $200 and said ‘I want all these in books’ … it’s overwhelming the response that we do get.”
Do you support community initiatives like this as you travel? How else do grey nomads help the communities they travel through? Comment below
We’d be very interested in donating books &/or some money to add to this wonderful program. How can we do so please?
great idea, will carry extra books on next trip
yes most grey nomads help out where possible either working as a volunteer or donating , or helping by spending a lot of money in small towns we try to make a difference I give out smiley stickers too & have them on our rig , GET WAVES EVERYWHERE WE GO TRY TO SPREAD HAPPINESS
Very good idea, I have even thought to myself I would love to go on one of these stations and teach the children to read.
I work in a high school in NSW and recently my library had a major clean out of books which we would like to donate to an outback or remote school. How do we go about this?