Community
13 September, 2024
CWA gives to aged care appeal
THE Camperdown Clocktower Country Women’s Association (CWA) branch have provided a gift for the South West Healthcare Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal on Monday.
The CWA donated $300 towards the new aged care facility’s hair and nail salon, presenting the cheque to appeal manager Suzan Morey before their meeting.
CWA Camperdown Clocktower branch president Margaret Bateman said the CWA always got “wonderful” support from the community through their fundraisers and enjoyed supporting local causes such as the appeal.
“We were very keen to do that - that’s been our first priority,” she said.
“We wanted to put Merindah at the top of the list.
“We all believe that we have to support our local facilities – that’s vital for the success of the community.
“I’m sure we all either know of someone or had some personal experience with people benefiting from our aged care facilities in the town.
“We’re very lucky to have what we’ve got.”
Ms Morey spoke to the CWA following the presentation of the cheque, sharing the progress of the 36-bedroom facility and the appeal.
“We’re about $102,000 off our target, so within five months we’ve already raised $440,000 – a huge amount of money,” she said.
“If you’ve tried to go past the site where we’re building, you would see it’s full of activity.
“Janine Dureau-Finn, who’s responsible for the development side of it, she’s completing the establishment of a prototype room, so one of the rooms will be ready for anyone who wants to have a guided tour in about a month’s time.
“We’ve shown some staff last week – I haven’t been through it yet – but apparently, it’s amazing.”
Ms Morey said she was excited to see how the $39.6 million facility will look when it opens mid-next year.
“It’s just absolutely beautiful – huge big reflection room, cinema on the top floor that overlooks the mountain, and you can see to the lake,” she said.
“There’s an indoor gym, an indoor community café, and a hair and nail salon - outside there’s a $40,000 purpose-build dementia-friendly exercise circuit being built for us in Ballarat at the moment, and huge therapy gardens.
“There’s lots of social, very different sized meeting areas for residents and their families and friends.
“It’s the biggest thing that’s happened in this area for a long time, and deservedly so – our elder community can be vulnerable, and they deserve to live their lives at the best we can provide, and we’re really excited about it.”