By Parker McKenzie
For most people, 2021 has been both difficult and challenging. For Cheryll Roach, it has been a year of tragedy and heartache.
“When my dad moved in with us in April, my husband and I frantically rushed around to get the place ready for him because he had his left leg amputated,” she said.
“At the start of June my husband wasn’t feeling well, and on the 21st of July he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.”
After Dale Roach was told he had three to 12 months to live, he passed away on the 11th of August.
“I’m so overwhelmed by everything, trying to get things tidied up, just with everything that has happened,” Mrs Roach said.
“It’s hard to ask for help sometimes. We were affected by the storms and as you can see a few trees came down.”
On a 31 degree Friday afternoon in Cockatoo, four volunteers are helping Mrs Roach remove fallen trees from the June storm, stack firewood and burn off any potential fuel for the coming bushfire season.
“Otherwise we would have been good. My husband and I would have tried to manage but I’ve gone from full-time work to being a single parent now,” Mrs Roach said.
“I’m just absolutely overwhelmed and so thankful. I just want to repay them back for the help.”
The volunteers from Habitat for Humanity Victoria are more than happy to help and don’t ask for any repayment.
Six volunteers arrived at Mrs Roach’s house at around 8.30pm. The four remaining by 2pm continue to busily split wood, wheelbarrow foliage to the fire and carry logs away even as their 3pm finishing time fast approaches.
Rod Brooks is the volunteer supervisor for Habitat for Humanity at Mrs Roach’s house and he is hard at work as they power through the last hour of a long day.
“When you hear that story, which I’m sure you have, it touches your heart,” he said.
“You just think how hard it is to do something that blesses her and helps her along the way.”
Mr Brooks believes for a lot of the volunteers – and himself – days like today are some of the best in their lives.
“The good thing about it is that they’re working with the people in need, not necessarily side by side right, but Cheryll’s been backward and forwards,” he said.
“They’re helping people rather than helping the programs or putting money into an account somewhere and never really seeing where it goes. Not saying there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just that personal connection to people.”
Mr Brooks said he has been working for Habitat for Humanity for nine years after a change in careers.
“A friend of mine approached me in the gardening business and asked me if I was thinking about changing what I was doing,” he said.
“That very morning, I thought it’s time for a change.”
Matthew Brassington and his son Alex are two of the volunteers Mr Brooks is supervising. Mr Brassington owns his own insurance business but wanted to help someone in need after his son became involved with Habitat with Humanity through his school.
“One of the best experiences is meeting people from different walks of life and getting a bit of perspective back,” he said.
“I think after the Covid situation, we’ve all realised that there are always people out there who are really struggling and often it’s very easy to close your eyes or turn your head and walk away.”
Habitat for Humanity is a not-for-profit organisation that runs bushfire and storm recovery aid and helps build affordable housing.
Interested volunteers can contact Volunteer Coordinator Felicity Smith at fsmith@habitat.org.au for more details or visit www.habitatvic.org.au/volunteer.
Mrs Roach has continued to honour Dale’s memory by raising money for pancreatic cancer. She raised over $3000 dollars through the charity PanKind and their Remember September campaign by walking 63 kilometres.
Mrs Roach said she intends to do another fundraiser through Remember September.
“You get your car serviced, but we really need to service ourselves too,” Mrs Roach said.
“Men like to keep going and ignore it, but you need to get yourself checked regularly.”
For more details visit www.rememberseptember.org.au.
