Australia’s Bushfire Crisis: From Helplessness to Hope
This week has been one of the hardest in my 13 years living abroad. To see millions of acres of Australia burned, friends’ dreams decimated and communities destroyed by Mother Nature’s ferocity is devastating.
Being an expat when your country is on its knees is incredibly difficult. Well-intentioned comments from local friends land me in pits of despair and anxiety, and I have been crying at the most inopportune moments (hello yoga class in Warrior 2).
When you grow up in Australia, bushfires are a way of life.
From the wailing sirens of the local Country Fire Station that sends dogs howling, to the smoke haze drift that taints your after-school activities, fires are never far away. Tinder-dry paddocks, eucalyptus that give off their volatile, minty scents, and the weathered road signs that show the daily fire risk are commonplace in summer, conversation starters for coffee shop chats and supermarket checkout lines. But this latest fire disaster has left even the most seasoned farmers bewildered and overwhelmed.
Social media news feeds are filled with friends’ report on their safety status, while others share graphic images of livelihoods razed, with little hope of rebuilding in the immediate future.
More than one billion animals – a number so big I can’t grasp it – are reported to have been hurt or killed. Livestock, indigenous animals and family pets have been wiped out, and extinction for some indigenous species a real possibility. For every koala, kangaroo or cockatoo brought into an animal rescue center, tens of thousands have died. More will starve from a lack of food and water.
The apathy and delayed response by government leadership has been infuriating, and at a time when rural families, the elderly, disabled and incapacitated who rely solely on others need that help more than ever. Some of them have lost everything. It’s too much to bear.
But I’ve never been more proud to be Australian than right now. Australians are resilient, our country is strong and we will recover. But the road is very long and we need your help to get back our feet. Here are ways that you can help:
Don’t add to the pain.
Please avoid voyeurism. Graphic images of incinerated cattle, fleeing kangaroos, and children cowering under blood red skies are the stuff of nightmares. Please be mindful of what you share online. Seeing images of distress, particularly of animals which clearly died in pain, can provoke lasting trauma. Personally, I have shied away from watching video footage until I feel mentally prepared to see it without tears; for now my reading is limited to text only.
Come and visit. Soon.
Although the devastation is painfully real, Australia is a big place and not everywhere was affected. There is still plenty to see and enjoy – and the locals will welcome you with open arms. So before you cancel travel plans, double down and commit to spend money with local businesses who rely on tourism dollars to keep their doors open. Much like the California fires that impacted parts of Northern California’s wine Country, recovery begins by people visiting and spending in the community. I just booked my flight home to South Australia this week, and the trip cannot come quickly enough.
Step up and donate.
Whether it’s supporting the firefighters, buying wines from affected regions, supporting animal rescue efforts or displaced people, please donate. There are literally hundreds of options to choose from. An expanded list of donation options can be found on A Balanced Glass here.
Don’t think you can make a difference? Australian comedian Celeste Barber set out to raise $30,000, which at the time of writing has hit more than AUD$33 million and counting. No contribution is too small.
Ask for updates.
The Aussie friends that I have connected with want to talk about it – as hard as it is. If you’re curious, just ask. We love our country and are happy that you are interested.
On a final note, thank you for caring for one another at this time. My heart aches for a homeland that is sunburnt and razed, but it’s also filled with pride to watch our country rebuild, more resilient and determined to put ourselves back together again.
Thanks in advance for your help. We need it.
Namaste,
Beck
What We’re Reading:
This week it seems ALL we can read about are the fires, so here’s some of what we’ve been reading this week.
Details emerge revealing devastating impact of bushfires on grape and wine producers – WinetitlesMedia.com
Winetitles shares a critical update for those curious about the specific impacts on the wine community.
What to say to someone who's lost their home in the Australian bushfires – ABC.net.au
Don’t know what to say to someone affected by bushfires? This article has some helpful ideas.
Meet the Community:
Our community is only as strong as the company we keep, and here we meet some of the folks who make our profession so dynamic.
Ben Salisbury, Founder and President of Salisbury Creative Group, (Texas, USA)
Years in the Industry
44 years, if you count my time in the restaurant/hotel business. When I was 16 years old, the head cook at the restaurant where I was washing dishes would give me a six pack of beer in return for cleaning up his workstation so he could go out to the bar earlier. Thus began two careers: selling alcohol and consuming alcohol.
I went to college (Johnson & Wales) and earned dual degrees in Culinary Arts and Foodservice Management. I was bitten by the wine bug while working the floor of the fanciest restaurant in town, L'Agogee atop the Biltmore Hotel in Providence. I moved to Houston at age 23 to help open a run a new restaurant, then took a role selling wine to restaurants for a large distributor.
For the next 30 years or so, my career really blossomed. I spent the last 17 years of my corporate life as VP of National Accounts for Ste Michelle Wine Estates and Constellation Brands (where I met Beck Hopkins). I quit my corporate life and started my own consulting agency in 2014 and for the last 5.5 years I've helped more than 40 different companies with their sales strategy. I've been very blessed!
My Biggest Challenge to Wellness
I tell people I used to eat and drink like a kid whose mother is not at home. In AA, they call it self-will-run-riot. That's me in spades. Moderation and temperance have never been a part of my life (until recently). I've also suffered (like many others) from the deep-seated desire to be seen as "successful" in the eyes of others. For DECADES I allowed myself to consume more than I should have while on the road for fear of being seen as weak or not "manly" enough. I justified it as being a "team player" and as long as I wasn't driving, it was OK. I'm a work-hard-play-hard kind of person but it has come at a cost to my health my wellbeing, and my family. When climbing the ladder of a large company, there is enormous pressure at play and I dare say you lose a bit part of yourself if you're not careful. I most certainly did. I'm embarrassed to admit it but I cared more about what other people thought of me (especially the people above me at work) than I did about myself and my family.
How I Keep it Together To Stay Well
In a nutshell, I've grown up. One year ago, I did "dry January" and felt so good I decided to keep going. There were other things going on in my life too, though, and this new move towards wellness included my diet and learning how to better metabolize stress (better sleep habits and exercise). In 2019, I lost 30 lbs (super low carb + intermittent fasting) and I also ditched the sleep aids and anti-anxiety meds. I spend time each morning reading my Bible, journal and praying. I also enjoy the effect of water soluble CBD to take the edge off my nerves which seem to always be there (and always have been). What's changed is how I respond to the anxiety. I've found better ways to cope.
I think that is really the key to wellness. We owe it to ourselves and to the ones we love to be at our very best. In my case, that especially means my wife of 32 years. My quest for the remainder of my life is to be at my very best, to make the most of my time, and to leave a legacy.
You can connect with Ben on his social channels at Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn
Let’s Meet Up:
The wine world is truly global and here are upcoming events and activities that we hope to see you at!
ABG Events and Presenter Activities:
Unified Wine & Grape Symposium Feb 4 - 6, Sacramento CA
· Panelist “2020 Headwinds Facing the Industry” (Beck)
· Moderator “Tapping into Consumer Trends” and “Data Matters – It’s Not Your Size, It’s How You Use It” (Cathy)
Wonder Women of Wine , Mar 28 - 29, Austin TX
Panelist “Health & Wellness” Panel (Beck)
Industry Event Travel:
Wine Paris, Feb 10 – 12, Paris FR (Cathy)
B.E.V. NY Conference, Feb 26, Rochester NY (Cathy)
Wine Marketing & Tourism Conference March 3-5, Eugene, Oregon (Cathy)
ProWein March 15 – 17, Düsseldorf GE (Cathy)
Bologna Business School, April 7 – 9, Bologna IT (Cathy)
Vinitaly April 19 -22, Verona IT (Beck)
Future Wine Expo May 12 - 13, Santa Rosa CA (Cathy)
Drop a line to rebecca@abalancedglass.com or cathy@enolytics.com if you are interested in getting together for practice, a chat or a great glass together.
