Time to rally around one of our own, Mike (That KI Guy)

Discussion in 'ORFFA' started by Bandit, Jan 6, 2020.

By Bandit on Jan 6, 2020 at 2:45 PM
  1. Bandit

    Bandit Moderator Staff Member

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    GoFundMe – Mike Penhall / Kangaroo Island

    We have all seen the complete devastation that these bushfires have destroyed of our beautiful country.

    With over 300 fires raging, 12 million hectares destroyed, lives lost and up to 1/1 a billion animals, we haven’t seen such tragedy strike our shores for a long time. Considering the size of the impact, its no surprise that someone close to us could be affected.

    Mike Penhall, aka @ThatKIGuy, is one of those – a TooSerious stalwart for years that has entertained us
    with his posts & wit - managing numerous SuperCoach Keeper teams right here on TS has just this week lost everything he & his family have………

    Mike is one of the Park Ranger’s on Kangaroo Island. Just last month he was off in NSW helping the local RFS fight fires to the north & returned last week to SA to go on a small vacay. A few days later he was called back to Kangaroo Island…..it was ablaze & all hands were needed. He has been there for 15 years – only 12 years ago they were under serious threat, but managed to repel the fires. This time they weren’t so lucky.

    As the Section Commander, he was in charge of a crew assigned to protect the buildings in & around the Visitor’s Center – an area of numerous buildings, livelihoods – not to mention his home as well.

    As much as they tried to defend, they were over-run by the intensity of the fires – every building within this Flinders Chase National park were destroyed – including Mike’s house where he, his wife Wendy and kids Matthew & Emily have resided in for years. His friends and fellow Rangers wiped out as well. Two friends burnt to death.

    I reached out to Mike who is of course devastated – he noted that he felt guilty having his crew there under such conditions, but all were just following orders. He noted that they will rebuild the park, that he will be front & center for that and that it’s just been devastating for the community of Kangaroo Island – the homes, the livelihoods all lost. Hardly a mention of what he has lost – that being nearly everything this family of four own. His wife Wendy notes that the kids have nothing left. They have a few suitcases…….nothing more. His daughter, visually & intellectually impaired, has lost everything she grew up with…….

    Wendy notes……” We didn’t have pets, but all of the animals on KI were our pets. Kangaroo’s would graze out back, Koala’s were in the trees outside their bedroom and cockatoos would wake them every morning. They literally have nothing left. “ Even their places of employment no longer stand.

    At last count on Kangaroo Island, 2 lives have been lost, 170,000 hectares destroyed, 1/3 of the Island completely wiped out. The CFS remain there still fighting the fires and that at its peak, when Mike’s KI burnt to the ground, it was 39c with winds of 80 kmh.

    The link below is a GoFundMe that we have set up for Mike & his family. Whilst I’m sure others have given to various resources already – please find it in your heart to help one of our TS mates.

    Smash the link and share the arse out of it:

    gf.me/u/xap7j5

    Mike 1.jpg Mike 2.jpg Mike 3.jpg Mike 4.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2020
    • Like Like x 8

Comments

Discussion in 'ORFFA' started by Bandit, Jan 6, 2020.

    1. Bandit
      Bandit
      Link is fixed
      Last edited by a moderator: Jan 8, 2020
      • Like Like x 2
    2. Len
      Len
      I couldn't get it to work using chrome, for anyone else having the same issue Edge worked fine
    3. Len
      Len
      Guys please share the fuck out of this, it will make a difference
      • Like Like x 1
    4. choppers
      choppers
      Used chrome just now to donate.....no problems
      • Like Like x 3
    5. Len
      Len
      :p so now I just fail at net
      • Like Like x 1
    6. TerryinBangkok
      TerryinBangkok
      Try using a spreadsheet - that always seems to work for you.
      • Like Like x 4
    7. Len
      Len
      Turning off the ad-blocker also works
      • Like Like x 2
    8. TerryinBangkok
      TerryinBangkok
      Firstly Bandito/Simon - love you guys.

      I've kicked the tin with what little I have. But time to bring in the big guns I reckon. Have posted on my FB, BUT, so happens a good mate of mine runs The Islander newspaper and I have copied him with your bit of poetry above in the assured knowledge he will help with publicity. Then I have hit up all my Port Adelaide supporter groups and that should get a response.

      There is a wee bit of irony at work here. Just before the worst hit I was engaged in a conversation with Mike about plans to build a feral-cat proof fence on KI. I suggested he take a look at what they did successfully on Macquarie Island and he took that on board. Furthest from my dreams did I think he would try and burn the buggers out. Look forward to the day when things settle down and I can tell him this. Not appropriate at the mo though.
      • Like Like x 5
    9. TerryinBangkok
    10. snoz
      snoz
      Great stuff guys !! Have so far shared it with about 10 FB groups over here and of course my FB page. My pages post had already been ‘shared’ seven times in the last few hours. What I’ve noticed is that it obviously only shares the GFM link and the headline.....if someone doesn’t click the link they’ll never know why the fund exists to begin with.

      What I’ve been doing is going to each ‘share’ from my post, liking it on their page and then posting a comment with the paragraph below, which may entice someone to click the link and read the full story. Worth a shot and you can easily see who ‘shares’ your pages post.......so just copy this last paragraph and paste/comment away !!!

      Mike Penhall - he’s a Park Ranger on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. For two months he’s been fighting the fires in NSW & SA. Last week Mike and his crew tried to save Kangaroo Island and were overrun. Half of the island was destroyed, including his family’s house & everything they own......Please donate if you can - and please share this link far & wide ! Thank you
      • Like Like x 6
    11. snoz
      snoz
      PS: You can also text and email the link to people if you so choose and Instagram as well, but I haven’t figured that one out yet :(
      • Like Like x 1
    12. YAD69
      YAD69
      Well done @snoz for the write up, great to see so many supporting Mike and his family so far as well as the KI community.
      • Like Like x 2
    13. Len
      Len
      are we able to raise the goal to 25k @Bandit?
    14. Len
      Len
      The link @insider has, and you've now edited is different to the you started mate..
    15. Len
    16. snoz
      snoz
      Len - goal is at 25k already.

      Yes it seems friends of theirs started a fundme earlier in the day to us, the only diff being it’s very KI centric.....as in local. No biggie - it all helps. Just make sure you share our GFM which it seems everyone is anyway.

      In the end it all goes to them anyway !!
      • Like Like x 1
    17. Len
      Len
      100%, was simply raising it as was directed to the incorrect one initially (thus my comment about raising the limit).
      Was actually wondering if they could be merged, but probably too ard and unlikely to be worth it
    18. chris88
      chris88
      This is awful news. Thanks for sharing this here Bandit and to everyone here for starting to get the word out. Mike is just the loveliest person and always enjoyed our ORFFA-related (and non ORFFA related) chats.
      • Like Like x 5
    19. TerryinBangkok
      TerryinBangkok
      Could I ask how long it stays open for?

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