Salvos helping flood victims get back on their feet
Shane (pictured) and Tracey Gesch worked for The Salvation Army in Bundaberg while their business was being repaired from flood damage. (Photo courtesy of APN Australian Regional Media)
In January this year, flooding devastated the Queensland city of Bundaberg. Among those affected was Shane and Tracey Gesch, whose business, a Muffin Break franchise, was destroyed. It left them and their three sons without an income.
With many others in the city also facing unemployment as a result of the floods, the Geschs believed their prospects of finding other work to hold them over financially while their business was repaired, were bleak.
“Going and getting work elsewhere was a difficult prospect, because where would you go anyway?” says Shane. “Half the town was wiped out and everyone else was in the same boat.”
However, a suggestion by a friend led them to The Salvation Army’s TQ cafe at the Tom Quinn Community Centre. Shane was offered a paid position running the cafe, and Tracey volunteered her time.
The TQ cafe relies on volunteers, many of whom have a disability or come from a disadvantaged background. Shane says that even under the circumstances in which they found themselves working in the cafe, it was a rewarding and valuable experience.
“It gave us the opportunity to keep making coffees and looking after other people so we didn’t go stale,” he says. “But it also gave us an opportunity to train people and pass on our knowledge. That was probably the best part of it.”
It was a change of pace for the Geschs, coming from a business in a high-traffic shopping centre to the remote, peaceful TQ cafe which is run out of an old renovated maintenance shed.
“It was slow motion compared to our business,” says Shane. “But it’s an awesome spot for young kids with disabilities or a poor home life to be able to get a taste of the industry without being under pressure.”
Reminders of the floods are still everywhere in the city. However, so is the sense of community.
“We’re still looking out for one another,” says Shane. “If you go over to the north side of town, which was the main part of town that got destroyed, it’s very eerie. A lot of houses have been fixed, but you still get a tingle down your spine.”
Some families, despite being insured, are still waiting for builders to come and look at their homes. There’s simply not enough people available to do the inspections and repair work.
However, the city is slowly getting back on its feet, and Shane and Tracey were able to reopen their business in May. Since then, they have seen a healthy rise in sales and are thankful for this blessing.
“We still feel lucky,” says Shane. “Things have sort of fallen into place for us with The Salvation Army giving us a hand. We got to meet new people and hear their stories. You get a better perspective of what’s going on if you talk to others."
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