The Rotary Club of Nundah is all about re-use and recycling, and just one of our projects supporting this approach is the Rotary Rope Project.
What is Rotary Rope?
Rotary Rope is the term used for discarded blue and yellow rope used by Telstra to pull cables through underground pipes. Unfortunately they are only allowed to use the rope once, and then throw it away. So… more than 10 years ago… someone in Rotary thought is was time to find a way to re-use it… and so the Rotary Rope Project began.
What do we do?
We collect the very long rope from Telstra sub-contractors, cut the rope into differing long lengths, then bag the rope into bags. In a one day working bee we usually make around 75 bags of rope. It is a fun day with Friends of Rotary and Rotarians all working together to get the job done. These bags are then transported to the Donations in Kind (DIK) head quarters in Durack in preparation for sending overseas.
Where does it go?
DIK is a major recycling operation, run by volunteers, that gives suitable goods to people in need, for free. They send all sorts of donated goods, such as medical equipment, bed linen, tables and chairs, desks, dental chairs, wheelchairs, books by the thousands.. and so much more! The Rotary Rope bags are sent overseas in the shipping containers with these other goods to Papua New Guinea and/or the Solomon Islands.
What do they do with the Rotary Rope?
We make sure the Rotary Clubs at the receiving end are aware of what’s coming, and that there is a need for the goods. Recipients use the rope for all sorts of differing and innovate purposes such as:
- to make bridges across creeks and rivers
- making baskets
- building small shelters
- tethering animals
- … and much more!!
If you have some spare time, give some thought to helping out at DIK or contacting us to help come and collect, cut, bag and deliver the rope. More hands make light work!!