What a great team of willing workers we had at the Donations-in-Kind warehouse in West Footscray on Saturday.
Head storeman Laurie Fisher had opened the store for us at 8am, and by 9am we had goods lining up beside the container. Thanks to the packing skills of Bob Glindemann and fork-lift expert Andy, we soon had the job on the run, filling every nook and cranny. You are no doubt aware that freight charges are by the square foot, not the weight.
Two X-Ray, one Ultarsound, two anaesthesia machines and an operating table were fixed in place and protective padding in the form of mattresses wedged beside them. Boxes of drapes, gloves, gowns, caps, surgical dressings, masks and bootees, lead aprons, operating microscope, endoscope with light source, orthotic boots, drills, saws and other surgical goods, a couple of cots, arthroscopic shavers, controls, foot pedals, surgical tourniquets, hygiene pads: you name it and we probably loaded it.
So who were these dedicated labourers? President Katrina Flinn led the way for Ian Macfarlane, Sheridan Brown, Charles Morrison, Lawrence Reddaway, Ian Hamilton, Hans Carlborg, Geoff Wright, Chris Hanson, Peter Lugg and myself to follow.
The ladies fortunately were taken under the wing of Essendon’s Jenny Foster, who gave them some lighter sorting of donated medical goods to do. So we owe special thanks to Jane Drury, Ginia Reddaway, Jan Macfarlane and Susi White for their assistance.
Nurse Debra Sloggett of Essendon was a pillar of strength, keeping track of the goods as we loaded, and continuously amending Peter Lugg’s inventory with some creative calls. Being a container of medical goods, “physiotherapy exercise modules” covered bicycles, and “bed-linen production and repair” covered a couple of commercial sewing machines and bolts of cloth.
The container held more than we expected, so some goods we had considered for a future container were added. By 1.45 pm we had the container fully loaded and the doors closed. Peter Lugg took the final photo with a sigh of satisfaction. Bob, Hans, myself and Andy: tired but happy.
Well done, team: now we look forward to hearing how our container is received at the Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital in Phnom Penh.
More Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/rtdrQZCwuqkuH5zQ2