WILLAURA Primary School students have sent messages of encouragement and hope to the victims of Black Saturday.
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With the memory of the 2006 Grampians fires still fresh, the children were inspired to tell the survivors of the recent Victorian bushfires that they knew how it felt and they would be okay.
Principal Terry May: "Many of the kids at Willaura Primary School have experienced first hand the ordeal of having to evacuate home with a bushfire approaching."
He said that grade six student Luke McInnes came to school on the Monday after Black Saturday eager to do something for the bushfire victims.
"In 2006 the fires came pretty close to Luke's place," Mr May said.
"His first suggestion was that perhaps the students could raise some money. We gathered the students and teachers to see what everyone thought. The result was a casual clothes day which realised donations of $340.20.
"This was a fantastic effort for our 48-student school."
Mr May said through a whole school brainstorming session, the idea of sending messages to fire victims came up. The older students paired up with the younger ones to produce cards which were sent to the areas affected by the bushfires.
Mr May said he was proud of his students.
"At Willaura Primary School we try to encourage our students to be responsible, use initiative and take care of one another."