Call for assistance - Volunteers required for Melb CBD Red Cross call centre

RG · 11-02-2009, 04:33 PM

I have seen that many of you want to help in regards to the tragic events in Victoria yet you don't know where or how. Well this is YOUR chance to help. One of the tenants (UCMS - United Customer Management Services) in the building that I am Security Supervisor at has kindly donated their floor space and services to the Red Cross in order to cater to the extreme generosity of all Australian's.

So here I am calling all my fellow forumers to lend a hand, be it for half an hour or a whole day it all helps and is all appreciated. The times that we are struggling with mainly are during the hours of 9am and 5pm but we still require people at all times of the day.

The call centres operating hours are envisaged to be 6am through to midnight each day until the demand is no longer required. At this stage I can confirm that we are definitely operating today, tomorrow the 12th and Friday the 13th. If there is any change to these hours I will update this thread.

Any further enquiries can be directed to me on my work phone, 0404 820 771.

Even if it is only a half hour you can give it is appreciated. We are located at 452 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD on level 11.

Please let me know in this thread or by phone if you plan on coming in to assist with this very worthwhile cause, if you come between 8am and 4pm you even get to meet me!!! When you arrive just head straight to level 11 and register there. If you arrive prior to 730am or after 6pm just let the Security officer on the door know who you are and what you are here for.

No experience is required, as long as you can answer a phone and read a scripted response YOU CAN HELP.

Thanks,

Russell.

**Peuty** · 11-02-2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell

if you come between 8am and 4pm you even get to meet me!!!

Way to scare people off mate!

I would help out for sure, but sadly am too far away.

Jason[98.EL] · 11-02-2009, 05:06 PM

We can be available friday for a few hours if we can get a babysitter for the kids

Jason & Helen

RG · 11-02-2009, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grimus

We can be available friday for a few hours if we can get a babysitter for the kids

Jason & Helen

Thanks Jas, nice to have a chat to you on the phone and hope to see you on Friday.

smasht · 11-02-2009, 05:11 PM

im going to talk to my boss today and see if i can come in tomorrow if there is room still....would love to help if i can work things out, will call a bit later

Cheers

Ben

CADSKY · 11-02-2009, 09:20 PM

ill try my hardest to get in on friday after work! i would come in 2morro but im catching a lift in with my boss.

who knows what the parking is like over there?

RG · 11-02-2009, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swan_ford

ill try my hardest to get in on friday after work! i would come in 2morro but im catching a lift in with my boss.

who knows what the parking is like over there?

Being in the CBD not real flash. The best bet for parking is at Crown which is just across the Yarra.

452 Flinders Street is located near the corner of Flinders & William Streets.

CADSKY · 11-02-2009, 09:27 PM

aahhh i know exactly where you are now! i drive up williams st every day to go to work! no probs as long as i can come up with some parking dosh by friday ill c u at bout 3.30ish

RG · 11-02-2009, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swan_ford

aahhh i know exactly where you are now! i drive up williams st every day to go to work! no probs as long as i can come up with some parking dosh by friday ill c u at bout 3.30ish

SWEET!

RG · 12-02-2009, 10:23 AM

Thanks to those of you that have called and are coming in to help, it is appreciated.

We still need more people though so if anyone can spare any time to come in and help the Red Cross and organisers of this will be grateful.

Jason[98.EL] · 12-02-2009, 01:30 PM

sorry to have to do this but i am sorry russ but i am no longer able to help out

i have been called into work as we are now doing a fund raising thig for the bushfire releif fund and they want us all on hand

sorry again mate i was looking forward to doing my bit

Jason

RG · 12-02-2009, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grimus

sorry to have to do this but i am sorry russ but i am no longer able to help out

i have been called into work as we are now doing a fund raising thig for the bushfire releif fund and they want us all on hand

sorry again mate i was looking forward to doing my bit

Jason

It all goes toward the same effort.

GT-0099 · 12-02-2009, 10:29 PM

Heys guys i went in there today and gave a hand is pretty simple just answer a phone and write on some paper real cruisee so would reccomend anyone with some spare time get down to give them a hand nice to meet you today russell

CADSKY · 12-02-2009, 10:43 PM

hey russ. i went in today

i was i at 3.30 till 7.30, i musta missed ya though. oh well hopefully see you on the cruise. anywho for everyone else i deffinately reccoment you get in and help out. it was great to see how many people were putting in there own free time

RG · 12-02-2009, 10:55 PM

Cheers guys!!!!

The response to this has been awesome, I've had many phone calls for people who have seen this and many say they are going to give a hand.

Tonight's response from not only the forums but the greater public has been quite overwhelming. The call centre even got to the point where they were full and could no longer take new volunteers. An entire floor and a half worth of volunteers attributed to that, considering that originally we only had the one floor for this and an extra half had to be opened was exceptional.

The phones are still ringing with donations so hopefully they can go some way towards raising enough to rebuild these ruined communities.

CADSKY · 12-02-2009, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell

The call centre even got to the point where they were full and could no longer take new volunteers.

yeah as i was leaving the line out side was HUGE! didnt realise they opened a second floor. thats fantastic!!

RG · 13-02-2009, 11:16 AM

7000 calls taken and 4.5 million raised at this call centre alone. Absolutely outstanding.

The latest news is that this call centre WILL be operating over the weekend between 6am and midnight. There is a call for people for tomorrow between 6-10am, apparently a time they are having trouble getting people in.

To all those that have called me to register their interest and get more details to come in I thank you.

Geez Louise · 13-02-2009, 11:51 AM

Just rallied the guys at work. 6 of us will be there at 6am tomorrow morning.

smasht · 13-02-2009, 11:54 AM

i was in yesterday and i tell you what guys....you should do it if at all possible. Its a brilliant cause and you get this warm fuzzy feeling for doing something which is helping others.

If i can ill be back n tonight

Cheers

Geez Louise · 14-02-2009, 12:26 PM

Just got back from helping out and at the moment they have the phones covered but they need people for data entry (processing all the donations) so if you can make it down there I know it would be appreciated.

I did have a guy ring up who didnt have any money to donate but he offered to donate some cattle to anyone who needed it to help get them back on their feet.

I thought that was extremely touching

Obviously a farmer who is doing it hard, offering to help out. Just goes to show their is good people out there....loads of them. Restored my faith in humankind today.

CADSKY · 14-02-2009, 03:11 PM

yeah i had a 15yo girl ring up to donate all her toys

good to see the message getting across to all ages.

RG · 14-02-2009, 03:51 PM

There are some very nice stories coming out of all this in regards to Australian generosity.

The call centre has now finished up, to all those that came to lend a hand thank you very much.