One person's trash is another person's treasure and Rotary Nouméa Ducos Boulari are making the most of this maxim to good effect
Rotary Nouméa Ducos Boulari held three successful outdoor ‘garage sales’ at the local racecourse this Rotary year and intends to run more in 2021. Word has got around and the ‘vide-grenier’ has grown from around 40 stands at the first event to 84 at the most recent.
Thanks to the Nouméa Council and its recreation department who helped make the event happen and for promotional support from Radio Rythme Bleu, local newspaper Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes and monthly event guide, Sortir en Nouvelle-Calédonie. The funds raised will be used to finance two Snoezelen sensory stimulation rooms, one at a public psychiatric and geriatric hospital and the other at a specialist autism centre. Snoezelen rooms are relaxing spaces that help reduce agitation and anxiety, but they can also engage and delight the user, stimulate reactions and encourage communication.
The club needs to raise between three to four million CFP francs (NZD43,000 – 57,000) and also has a duck race fundraiser planned for next year. At each garage sale, the club had a Rotary stand where they collected donations of toys as part of their “Christmas for All” (Noel pour tous) project. The toys will be distributed to the children at Les Manguiers and the Fontrobert Kindergarten this Friday 18 December. Les Manguiers provides support and temporary accommodation for families in need seeking help and assists them to get back on their feet.