AN ICON FOR ROTARY
On Monday night we learned about the way Donations In Kind runs. Established in 1978, it has a wide range of services. At any given time, there are 1,500 pallets of items in the enormous 3,400 square metre warehouse.
Our speaker, Colleen D'Offay , the Manager of Donations in Kind, detailed the sort of attention required to make this outlet the icon which it is. For instance, the type of beds taken from hospitals, the metal ones. are better suited to hospitals in the third world. Colleen sends people to head up medical teams to train individuals in third world nations. This coincides with the ten year cycle of equipment change in hospitals her in Australia.
Another example she described was the way education items are selected, up to Year Levels 7 and 8..This limits what can be stored at DIK in the West Footscray Warehouse. School uniforms change quite frequently. Logos on school uniforms change over time, so they are sent overseas. Another feature of DIK is that some items are hired out to the Australian Open, and for movie companies.
The main problem which DIK faces is the increase in rent due to the increase in land tax. Colleen understands the peculiarities of certain countries. For instance, only medical items can be shipped into Cambodia.
We can assist DIK in many ways- by telling DIK about beds (the right kind) in nursing homes. collecting glasses for the Philippines Eye and Ear Mission, by de-selecting items which DIK will not accept in the warehouse.
In summary, DIK has DGR status, and thus, any project becomes elevated and expansive in the way it is implemented. When we choose to volunteer to DIK in West Footscray, there are always jobs to be done.
Colleen provided us with an expansive and detailed analysis of the kind of work which DIK does. It is breath-taking and awesome. DIK lives up to its name as an icon of the realm of Rotary.
