REPORT - Kurrajong Waratah

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES REPORT
Mrs Cathie Smith
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES MANAGER
Kurrajong Waratah continues to work in a close
co-operative partnership with the local community
to support our work.
We are proud that this strong partnership provides
not only direct benefits for people with a disability
and their families, but Kurrajong Waratah’s
involvement also provides economic and other
benefits for the community.
These benefits include among other things, our
role as a major employer in the community and
through the purchase of goods and services from
local businesses through our ‘buy local’ actions.
At the present time Kurrajong Waratah provides
full time, part time and casual employment to
some 242 local and district people.
We value our relationship with all our business and
community supporters enormously. Without them
there naturally would be things that Kurrajong
Waratah would be unable to achieve for people
with a disability and their families. I am incredibly
proud of the fact that our local community
recognises that Kurrajong Waratah receives only
half of the funding required to provide our current
services and importantly, responds to it with offers
of support and help.
Today 800 babies, children and adults with a
disability and their families use the services
Kurrajong Waratah provides. This number
continues to grow and their needs will become
more complex and will change as they age.
This will place additional demands on Kurrajong
Waratah’s resources and services.
It is particularly important therefore that we
continue to maintain a solid support and
fundraising program that relies not only on
specific fundraising events, even though they are
a vital part of it, but on the ongoing generosity
of businesses, clubs and the people in the
community.
The potential from one area of community support
was highlighted during the year when a bequest
from our friend the late Kate Banting from Temora
was received. While a gift of this type is the
final one a person makes, it is one that has the
capabilities to create benefits that live beyond the
benefactor.
In Kate Banting’s case, we had the benefit of
knowing just what her wishes for Kurrajong
Waratah were and importantly we had the
opportunity to thank her personally, which is not
always the case.
Due to the increasing number of enquiries, we will
be developing a brochure on this particular way of
supporting Kurrajong Waratah in the near future,
to assist with the enquiries we receive through our
publications as well as when people are making
or revising their wills. Advice in the meantime is
only ever a phone call away and I encourage and
welcome contact from our supporters.
Our fundraising campaign to be able to construct
a third group home at our Olearia Place
development continued to be at the forefront
throughout the year.
We are confident that with continued support we
should be in a position to commence construction
of this much needed house for adults with a
disability in 2011.
Our partnership with
so many areas of the
community is more
necessary now than ever
before.
The Kurrajong Waratah Race Day was again a
resounding success. The sponsors who have
been part of this event, in some cases for over 20
years, are to be applauded as are the wonderful
Race Day committee who work hard to ensure
they maintain the momentum and financial
success of this event. I thoroughly recommend
for your perusal the list of individuals, groups and
corporations who are recognised in the thank
you and acknowledgement pages of this annual
report.
Our Art Union, while now in its 32nd year,
continued to provide a major source of fundraising
income for the organisation throughout the year.
The support of our loyal media, many of whom
are Corporate Life Members of Kurrajong Waratah
and Allen Thomas of Thomas Bros and Myer who
are also both Life Members, are amazing in the
support they provide.
The other major event Kurrajong Waratah is
involved in is the Christmas Spectacular. Again
there are a number of groups, corporations and
individuals whose support is vital to the success
of this event and who are recognised in the
acknowledgement section of this annual report.
It would be remiss of me to record this year
without paying particular attention to the members
of Wagga Business NetworX, Myer staff and a
number of service groups who give their time
in a voluntary capacity to run successful events
which result in significant donations for Kurrajong
Waratah’s services for people with a disability.
Kurrajong Waratah recognise that each of the
donations they have made throughout the year
was the result of the hard work of the members of
these respective groups.
Athol Bryon and Bill Harris, two members of ‘Dad’s Army’ are
regularly found at Hildasid enjoying the rural environment
and being a great asset to Kurrajong Waratah. New recruits
are urgently needed, so if you are retired or just enjoy the
outdoors, perhaps you could volunteer your services for even
a couple of hours a week. Contact Cathie Smith on 0438 219
487 for information.
To those who have continued to support our work
during the year we thank you most sincerely.
We cannot do the job ahead alone and our
partnership with so many areas of the community
is more necessary now than ever before.
To the Managers and staff of Kurrajong Waratah
who volunteer their time to ensure our events are
successful, my staff who give over and above to
ensure success and our Executive who support
what we do, I offer my sincere thanks.
Finally, to each and every person who is named
as a donor, supporter or volunteer in the
acknowledgement pages of this report I thank
you most sincerely for helping Kurrajong Waratah
make a real and lasting difference to people’s
lives.
Please know with absolute confidence that
without your support today and into the
future, someone with a disability would miss
an opportunity which could benefit them for a
lifetime.
Cathie Smith
Development Services Manager
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www.kurrajongwaratah.org.au
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