‘It’s five weeks to the day since we launched our $562,000 appeal to help furnish and equip this wonderful new facility we’re building for some of the most vulnerable members of our community to live their best lives in, and we’re so happy with how it’s going. We’re just $22,000 short of hitting the half-way mark. Additional to Beyond Bank’s very generous $5,000 gift, other wonderful donations we’ve recently received include $2,000 from Warrnambool’s Timor Street SUPA IGA, $1,000 from Camperdown’s Neville Wilson and $443 from the money made by Merindah Lodge’s Easter Egg Raffle,’ Suzan says.
South West Healthcare has between now and mid next year when we open this new $39.6m facility to raise the remaining $330,000 needed to make it the very best it can be.
Beyond Bank’s $5,000 donation will go towards equipping and furnishing one of the 36 ensuited bedrooms. At a cost of $9,200 each, 12 of the 34 ensuited bedrooms are now fully funded by donors. The two special purpose bedrooms that required $15,200 each to be fully equipped and furnished have also been donor-funded.
Grant says that Beyond Bank is so pleased to be supporting an appeal that connects closely with their key values: Beyond Bank is one of Australia’s largest customer-owned banks. They have been for and with their customers for over 60 years. Beyond Bank is local and supports the communities in which its customers live, work and play. They work closely with over 5,000 community groups to support charitable organisations and initiatives and at their heart are for and with the community.
‘As a customer-owned bank focused on strengthening the communities we operate in, we’re delighted to throw our support behind South West Healthcare’s appeal. This facility will no doubt enrich the wellbeing of our local community members in aged care,’ Grant says.
Suzan’s now concentrating on completing the funding for the $4,850 needed to deck out the hair & nail salon. She’s looking for 50 people to each donate $97 to achieve this. She’s also searching for a donor to gift the final $428 needed to pay for 34 toilet chairs worth $2,890, and she’d love to hear from local sports clubs that might want to hold some fundraising events for the $9,000 needed for the indoor gym, for a piece of gym equipment and a TV.
‘The support of our local communities is critical to this appeal. We’re hoping businesses, clubs, groups, workplaces, schools, churches, families and individuals will help us raise the money we need to equip and furnish this stunning facility, inside and out,’ she says.
Being built alongside SWH’s Camperdown Hospital, the new Camperdown Residential Aged Care facility will replace the existing 48-year-old Merindah Lodge, officially opened in 1976. The new facility has 36 bedrooms with ensuites (including special purpose, disability compliant, and rooms for couples) grouped in small households to create home-like environments. Incorporating best practice, evidence-based aged care design underpinned by dementia-friendly principles, there are multiple resident and family living and dining spaces including discreet quiet indoor, outdoor and activity-dedicated areas. Inside, there’s a community café, the gym, a reflection space, and the hair and nail salon. Outside, extensive landscaping will promote physical and mental wellbeing and encourage social interaction via a kitchen garden, a purpose-built aged care persons’ exercise circuit and multiple spaces for families and friends to come together. The architecture maximises stunning views towards the lakes and craters Camperdown is so known for.
Meantime, on the construction front, Janine reports the decent weather of late has enabled good progression. ‘The in-ground works are nearing completion, allowing for the pouring of the concrete slabs, and the stage-1 lift and stairwell works are completed, she says.
PHOTO: Suzan, Grant and Janine at the construction site earlier today.