Uniting Church Op Shop coordinator Barbara White said the idea came about after she saw an article in the Courier about a new SES building in Cobram.
“I just feel they’re a wonderful organisation who help people when they’re in distress ... why can’t one of our charities this time be the SES to help them get on their feet and build a new building,” she said.
Ms White said the donation could go towards something specific for the group once the new station was up and running properly.
“(It’s a) general ‘helping you out’ (thing).”
Ms White said the op shop would continue to make donations to organisations like the SES in the future.
SES Cobram deputy controller Luke Herezo, who received the surprise donation, said receiving the donation was “fantastic”.
“The church have always been a really good supporter of what we do and we do really see them on the same level, they’re volunteers as well, giving up their time,” he said.
“We weren’t really expecting too much, (but) we’re grateful for any donation or help we can get along the way.
“In turn donating that money is fantastic, it’s a really humbling sort of thing for us to sort of take this money and use it to help the community again.”
Mr Herezo said a donation of this size could go towards a singular, specialised piece of equipment they would not otherwise be able to purchase.
“Something of this size, of this nature we’d love to see go to a dedicated piece of equipment or something of significance, rather than be absorbed into like a training budget, or maintenance or equipment budget,” he said.
“This sort of stuff we’ll put it aside and especially pick something that will be something that is out of the scope the service provides, that we can get as a specialised piece of equipment.”
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