In 2009 Rushworth Community House will celebrate it’s twentieth year - twenty years of hard work and commitment by the many staff and volunteers whose efforts have made the Community House what it is today.

Indeed, there is much to be proud of – the House itself and all the facilities that offers are indeed great achievements. So  too  are  the  delightful  community garden and the popular shed program.

In  the  coming  months,  we  will  be holding special celebrations  to mark our twentieth  anniversary,  and  our  Annual General Meeting  in March  promises  to be an enjoyable occasion.

2008  provided many  challenges,  and no doubt 2009 will be no different.

Transport service in jeopardy

The  looming  threat  to  our  volunteer driver  program  is  of  particular  concern, and  measures  to address  the  issue  are already underway.

The successful program provides an important service transporting eligible Waranga  residents  to and  from healthcare  appointments  in  Shepparton, Bendigo and other Regional Centres.

Our  primary  aim  this  year will  be  to secure on-going funding to safeguard the future of this vital service.

Last  year,  we  had  to  give  up  our contract to provide meals to the Seniors, so perhaps we can fnd another way to serve the community  in a fruitful way.   If you have any thoughts or ideas, please let us know; better still, sign up for Community House membership (just $5.00 annually) and help us to make a real contribution to Rushworth and District.

Centrelink service

During  2009,  there  was  a  marked increase in the number of people accessing the  Centrelink services  provided  at  the House.  Centrelink  clients  are  grateful that  they  can  use  a  secure  fax  facility with  faxback  confrmation  for  many kinds of form lodgement, and can obtain certifed copies of original documents for Centrelink use.

Courses

The number of people seeking to learn or enhance their computer skills has also undergone  a signifcant  rise,  with  both  daytime  and  evening  classes  almost full  throughout  the year. Indications  are that  this year’s computer classes will be similarly  popular,  so  if  you’re  thinking about  undertaking  some  PC  power-learning at the House, get in early!

Kyabram  Community  and  Learning Centre  delivered a Certifcate IV in Aged Care  course  at Rushworth  Community House  during  2008.  The  students  who completed  the  course  gained  both academically and socially from their study experience, and many were motivated to attempt  new life challenges as a result.

A House full of people

Of  course,  the  Community  House would  not  function  at  all  without  the efforts  of  many amazing  people  who devote  their  time  and  talents  to  helping the place  run  effciently  and happily;  to each of them, we all owe a great vote of thanks.

Our  IT  gurus,  front  desk  femmes fatale, RTC services manager (whom we must  also  congratulate for  winning  the 2008  Brown  Nose  Award  –  well  done

Cass, and extremely well deserved), our bookkeeper, maintenance man, gardeners, volunteer  drivers,our  Committee  of Management and our amazing president, Sandy, whose dedication, vision and hard work are nothing short of inspirational.

This year we are issuing a community-wide invitation for new people to join our committee of management, an important and  enjoyable  role  requiring  about  two hours per month. If you have some skills to  share, or know of  someone who may be able to contribute, please let us know.

At your Community House, change is a constant, as we welcome new volunteers and staff and farewell others. However,  the  one  thing  that  really characterizes  Rushworth  Community House is the way the staff and volunteers work together, maintaining a harmonious environment  that  is  enjoyable  for all  its participants.

We always welcome new volunteers. With  so  many  different  activities going  on  at  the House,  there is  literally something for everyone. And  if  you  would  like  to  share  a personal  skill  or  knowledge,  come  and talk  to  use  about  running  a  class  or conducting a workshop  to enable others to share your passion.

The Community House  is  also    keen to  work  with  any  community  groups that  may  beneft  from  our  knowledge and  expertise. We  offer  such  groups  a wide  range  of  assistance,  including  use of  our  facilities,  together with  technical and  support  services  that  may  prove benefcial.

Wishing you all a very happy new year full of good health and rewarding times.

Debbie Bish