Drought relief with a personal touch adds sparkle to her day
THE look on her face says it all - little Zia Guyett was over the moon when she opened her gift from seven-year-old Adelaide Robinson from Coffs Harbour.
Zia's family from Yarrowyck, west of Armidale, have been battling through one of the worst droughts in living memory. They have a 2600 acre beef and sheep farm and as Zia's father Steve explains the situation is becoming increasingly dire.
"It's been going on for ages but it's just got really bad now. We're having trouble with the dams getting very low and the cattle getting stuck in the mud."
Zia lives on the farm with mum and dad and five-year-old brother Flyn.
"They're getting very used to dead cattle and dead calves - it's just second nature. They don't really understand it I think," Steve said.
The gift was among a truck load of drought relief items from the Coffs-Clarence region and the Guyetts were deeply touched by it. It was a Disney princess memory card game and as Zia's father explains, she knows all the Disney princesses and was over the moon to receive it.
"It was a really nice thing to find in there. It was nicely wrapped with a bow and a handmade card that said 'hello this is a gift for you'. It suited her to a tee. We couldn't have chosen better for her if we tried, and we really just want to say thank you," Steve explained.
So he started ringing around all the Robinsons in Coffs Harbour but was unable to locate an Adelaide.
One of those he called was Cheryl Robinson who was so touched by the story she took up the cause.
"The father just really wants to say thank you. I rang about 15 people and lots of the local schools but I'm a pensioner and I thought I better stop this."
Cheryl is a member of the Park Beach Bowling Club and has donated items and money to their drought appeal.
"I've given money and three lots of dry shampoo with nail polish . I thought that's what girls would like."
So the Advocate is taking up the cause - if Adelaide or any members of her family see this call the Advocate on 6650 2900 so the Guyetts can say thank you in person.
