Wyndham is rallying behind the family of three children killed when the car they were in plunged into a lake last week.
Organisers of a fundraiser planned for this Sunday say they have been inundated with support and donations from businesses locally and across Australia.
The Angels fundraising event will be held at Manor Lakes Football Club from 3pm. A minute’s silence will be followed by the release of hundreds of white balloons at 7pm. There will also be raffles, music, food and entertainment.
Manor Lakes Basketball Club president Brad Munari sought permission from the family to organise the gathering and is hoping to raise at least $10,000.
“What happened last week has affected people right across Australia.
“We’ve received donations from across Melbourne and even Queensland,” he said.
“We want this event to help bring the community together. The loss of young children is always a very touching thing for us all.”
The event will end with those present being invited to light a candle in honour of one-year-old boy Bol, four-year-old Madit and his twin sister, Anger.
Five-year-old Alual, a prep pupil at Manor Lakes P-12 College, survived the crash. She was moved out of intensive care last Friday and is expected to go home in coming days. One of Alual’s elder sisters is a senior student at the college.
In a message on its website, Manor Lakes P-12 College principal Jason Smallwood said the community had been united in grief. “I’ve been so proud of our community and the way people have supported one another and paid tribute to the children involved,” he said.
Mr Smallwood said the college had organised counsellors to be available for individual sessions with pupils, staff and parents. Extra youth workers and counsellors have also been available at the Wyndham Vale Community Learning Centre.
The children’s mother, Akon Guode, was driving the 2005 Toyota Kluger when it plunged into Lake Gladman on Manor Lakes Boulevard last Wednesday afternoon. She was interviewed by homicide squad detectives and later released from custody.
The Kluger was pulled from the lake on Thursday afternoon and is undergoing forensic testing.
In the days since the tragedy, the edge of the lake has become a makeshift shrine, with people leaving flowers, stuffed toys, teddy bears and candles.
A Facebook campaign is urging people to leave their porch lights on overnight as a tribute to the children and has been taken up by hundreds of residents nearby.
A permanent memorial for the three children is being discussed, while residents have spoken about requesting a change of name for the lake.
Unity Lake and Angels Lake are among popular suggestions.
Last Saturday afternoon, Wyndham Vale and Manor Lakes football clubs hosted a tribute match, which included a minute’s silence for both reserves and senior players, who also wore white arm bands during their games.
A small group of residents held a candlelight vigil at the lake on Saturday night.
The father of the four children who were inside the car and Ms Guode’s partner, Joseph Tito Manyang, praised the community for its outpouring of support and said Ms Guode had been too distraught to return home since the incident.
“She has a broken heart,” he said.
“She loved the kids. She’d take care of them and [would] take them to the park and play.”
Police are still investigating the crash.
Can you help?
Anybody with information should phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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