It has been a long and traumatic year for the Cobargo district, so it was comforting to see Saturday's gathering of relief centre clients and their families enjoying a Christmas treat.
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While the Bega District Band played tunes in the shade of the relief centre's garden, children ran around with bubble wands, and created their own colourful Christmas decorations to hang in the trees. The adults relaxed in the camaraderie that comes with shared experiences, enjoying a barbecue lunch and refreshments.
There were also Christmas gifts to hand out - tables stacked high with gift hampers and boxes of salami. Incredibly, these weren't the result of widespread donations, but from one Sydney family who thought the village "needed a bit of cheering up".
Virginia Bonifacio and her family put together the gift hampers and drove from Sydney to be part of the day's celebration.
The hampers included coffee plungers and coffee beans, home-made cookies, soaps and candles, a bottle of wine and other treats.
"I thought we should do something," Virginia said.
"At first they [my family] though I was loony, but then they all got into it. They spent weeks making soaps and were baking for days."
Virginia said they had no family in Cobargo, nor any other connection, but they wanted to give people "a bit of a smile".
Meanwhile, Cobargo's Anglican Church is hosting a commemoration and all-night vigil on December 30 to offer solace and solidarity on the anniversary of the fires.
From 8pm bushfire counsellor David Bone will be giving a talk and then the church will remain open all night for anyone who requires the safe space on a night likely to trigger traumatic memories.
Ben Smyth
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
