AN ADVENT CALENDAR LIKE NO OTHER

Felicia Chiew, Jacqui Kiss and Kimberley Chu are among those spreading joy this Christmas with a reverse advent calendar.

District residents are being encouraged to join in the gift of giving in the lead-up to Christmas with a reverse advent calendar being launched by a community group for the first time in Mooroopna.

The Mooroopna-Shepparton Rotary Satellite Club has launched the initiative where instead of receiving a treat each day in the lead-up to Christmas, people give a gift each day for those who are disadvantaged and have been affected by the floods.

Club president Kimberley Chu said the reverse advent calendar begins as an empty box and for 20 days in the lead-up to Christmas people place one item — such as non-perishable food, toiletries or a Christmas treat — into the box.

Miss Chu said the initiative was first started in Ballarat and the local club has adapted the idea for Mooroopna.

“Our community has been impacted by the floods and I just wanted to do something to help out,” she said.

Miss Chu was initially hoping to fill 10 boxes, but she already had 25 to 30 families or groups collecting items for the cause.

“What seems like very little to some people to give, can mean a lot to others (who receive it),” Miss Chu said.

While December has already started, people can still join in the reverse advent calendar collection.

Empty boxes are available from Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre and Australia Post’s Shepparton South post office.

Miss Chu said even if people could not collect 20 items before Christmas, any donations would be accepted.

The filled reverse advent calendar should be dropped at Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre in Alexandra St, Mooroopna, on December 20 so they can be sorted and distributed by food relief agencies to Mooroopna residents affected by floods and experiencing food insecurity.