Lifeline, St Vincent de Paul continue relief projects with Mayoral Prayer Breakfast funds

Generosity shown by early risers at May's Mayoral Prayer Breakfast last night (June 28) translated to a welcome windfall for Lifeline and St Vincent de Paul.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Peter Taylor presented cheques for $4500 each to Paul Jensen (Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland's chief operating officer, Human Services) and Ron O'Brien, St Vincent de Paul Society's Toowoomba Regional Council president.

Cr Taylor said the Mayoral Prayer Breakfast had distributed around $215,000 to regional charities in the past 19 years.

He said this year's event proved a success with 700 people hearing Seoul Olympic champion Duncan Armstrong recount stories from his swimming career and subsequent flirtation with, and conversion to, Christianity.

Cr Taylor reinforced his support for the Mayoral charity fundraiser and thanked food suppliers, venue hosts, TAFE hospitality students, secondary school helpers, business and media supporters for their ongoing generosity.

Mr O'Brien said it was a wonderful privilege to accept the cheque which would be used to help people at Oakey, others immediately east of Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley rebuild after January's floods.

Mr O'Brien encouraged people to contact St Vincent de Paul to arrange an on-site interview to ascertain assistance measures.

"We need people to contact us in the first place," Mr O'Brien said.

"The people I've met at Ballard, Murphy's Creek and Postman's Ridge are some of the most humble people I've met in my life. They are great Australians who are not asking for money as they think others need it more than they do."

Mr O'Brien said Toowoomba people had responded with great generosity.

Lifeline's Paul Jensen said the funds would be used for "psychological first aid" for clients.

"The experiences of the Victorian bushfires reveal it takes up to two years for people to get on their feet and feel human again," he said.

"This is a realistic target, but we live in such an instant culture and people expect an instant response or recovery. That is not possible.

"People are very resilient, but sometimes the cracks only appear some time after an event.

"Plenty of people are dealing with the structural rebuilding and we are concerned about caring for psychological changes and fatigue, including among carers."

Organising committee member Senior Pastor Ian Shelton, Toowoomba City Church, thanked supporters and said planning had started for the 2012 20th anniversary function.

"Thanks to our sponsors, the Mayoral Prayer Breakfast remains a great thing we can do together for our city and region."

Charity enquiries can be directed to St Vincent de Paul Society 4699 5200 or Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland 1300 991 443.

Caption: Toowoomba Region Mayor Peter Taylor presents cheques to President of the St Vincent de Paul Society's Toowoomba Regional Council Mr Ron O'Brien (left) and Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland chief operating officer, Human Services, Paul Jensen.