TWO sisters who inherited their mother's home after her sudden death last year are preparing to donate a portion of price the house sells for at auction next month to a local charity.
Rosie and Molly Squires' mum, Judy, died with little warning last January at age 58. Ms Squires was a born and bred Novocastrian who moved to Sydney in her 20s before returning to live in Belmont about a decade ago.
She was a generous woman who loved her community and always encouraged her children to be charitable. The door was always open at her house and she also understood what it was like to go through difficult times.
So after coming to terms with the loss of their mum, and inheriting her home, Rosie, 31, and Molly, 27, knew they wanted to honour her by giving something back.
The sisters have decided to donate one per cent of the house's sale price. They've also recruited Dowling Eastlakes and DW Design & Styling, which have jumped on board and made contributions through their services.
"One of my friends did it when he was selling his property. He'd donated one per cent of the sale of his property and I thought that could be a really good way for us to contribute to the community she loved," Rosie said. "Mum loved the idea of us being charitable people, our door was always open. I can't think of how many friends of ours were living with us at some point."
The four-bedroom, 1960s home with Lake Macquarie views is sure to fetch a penny at the October 12 auction.
"There's four car spaces, it reaches down to the Pacific Highway on one side and on the other it looks out over the lake, down to where the yacht club is," Rosie said. "Mum loved the house, it's a really lovely community."
The funds raised will be donated to Newcastle's Soul Cafe, which serves hundreds of free meals each week to the disadvantaged. Many of the cafe's customers are dealing with homelessness, drug or alcohol addiction, poverty, separation, mental health issues or illness.
"I'm really impressed with the work they do," Rosie said.
"They take it a step further than just providing food. It's a fantastic service."
Molly Squires said her mum would have been proud the funds were going to the volunteer-run cafe.
"Growing up mum was our one-woman-army with the answers to any issue that arose," she said. "I think this is why Soul Cafe resonates with us. A place where people can come for comfort and leave with the tools to help them create a better future."
The donation plans come on the back of Include a Charity Week, when 90 charities unite to encourage Australians to consider gifts in wills. Only 7.4 per cent of Australians currently do so.
