By Colin MacGillivray

Two students at Horsham’s Holy Trinity Lutheran College are appealing for donations of second-hand bicycles, clothing and school supplies to support a charity trip to Cambodia and Thailand.

Nathan Rokebrand and Chanel Scollary are part of a Ballarat-based Rode RAGE pedal prix team that has teamed up with charities Bicycles for Humanity, Cambodian’s Children’s Trust and Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand to support isolated and underprivileged children in Cambodia.

Nathan, Chanel and about 10 other members of Rode RAGE will travel to Cambodia and Thailand in December, working to help disadvantaged communities and visiting historical sites.

The group is asking for people to donate old bikes, children’s summer clothing, flotation devices, playground equipment and, especially, money.

Nathan said the donations would make a huge difference.

“In Cambodia, if kids can’t get to school, they don’t go to school,” he said.

“People don’t have access to cars in a lot of areas, so having a bike can be the difference between someone being able or unable to get to school.

“It also allows them to have better access to things like health care.

“Bikes can really change someone’s life.”

Nathan said school supplies and books would also help Cambodian children become educated and employable, and flotation devices would help them learn to swim.

As a fundraiser for the trip Holy Trinity Lutheran College will host a screening of the documentary Camp 32 on Saturday night.

The film chronicles the journey of Cambodian-Australian man Hom Chhorn growing up during what was known as the Cambodian holocaust in a camp where it is estimated at least 30,000 people were murdered.

Chanel said she had been shocked to learn of the suffering created in Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge regime during the 1970s.

“I had never even heard of it until recently,” she said.

“It’s something you never hear people talk about – three million people died and I didn’t know about it.”

Mr Chhorn will attend the screening of the documentary and will answer audience questions after the movie.

People can donate money and items for the trip from 6pm to 7pm at the college, with the documentary screening starting at 7pm.

Admission is $2 for children and $5 for adults.

Chanel said Rode RAGE had already collected a shipping container full of donations in Ballarat and was hoping to do the same in Horsham.

Nathan said all donations would make a difference.

“It’s such a good chance for us to share the opportunities we have with people who are disadvantaged,” he said.

“Giving even a small percentage of what we have can have a big impact.

“We can’t change the whole country, but even the bikes we throw away can help change a few lives.”

People wishing to donate but unable to attend Saturday’s documentary screening at Holy Trinity Lutheran College can email nathan.rokebrand@htlc.vic.edu.au or chanel.scollary@htlc.vic.edu.au to make alternate arrangements.

The entire October 16, 2019 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!