The images and footage coming out of Nepal are heartbreaking. Homes, roads and communities have been torn apart by flooding and mudslides, and behind every report is a family facing grief, fear and the hard work of rebuilding. Seeing it on the news and social media, that pain is not as distant as it might first seem. There is a thriving Nepali community already in North East Victoria and the King Valley also has deep personal ties to Nepal through people who have lived, travelled, trekked and paddled there, and through friendships formed over many years. That is why the Friends of the King River Paddling Film Festival at Cheshunt Public Hall on Saturday 5 September carries such meaning. Organisers have added fundraising for Nepal to the event, turning local care into practical help for people in crisis. There is something powerful about a river community reaching out to another river community. From the King River to the rivers of Nepal, this fundraiser reminds us that compassion does not stop at geography. Raffle and auction prizes, donations at the door, online giving through the Intrepid Travel Foundation and Red Cross Nepal Flood Appeal, and even 50 cents from coffees at Inneta Cafe will all help. When disaster strips people of certainty, generosity can restore a little hope. If you can attend, donate, buy a raffle ticket or simply spread the word, please do. Nepal has given many locals friendship, beauty and welcome. This weekend is a chance to give something back, and to stand beside people who need to know they have not been forgotten.
