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December 2011

Hi everyone, I hope you are all keeping cool in this warmer weather .

Enclosed with this letter is an invitation to the Christmas party at Club Coffs ( Catholic Club ), could you please tear off the RSVP and return it by Monday 12 th Dec so we can finalize the catering.

Thank you very much for supporting Chris day with his Movember Drive. He raised $100 towards the Prostate Foundation of Australia and Beyond Blue.

Our 6 respite beds –cottage, will be closed from Wednesday 21 st Dec for one week. There will be some replacement of floor coverings attended during that week and it will be reopened for admissions on 28 th Dec.

Get in early if you want to book residential respite early in the New Year, we already have several bookings. Call the staff and they can tell you what is available and help you with the booking. Phone 66483610.For more information, turn over this page and read the answers to the most common questions regarding residential respite.

The Coffs Harbour Dementia Carer Support Group meets every third Tuesday of the month. All family and friends of people caring for someone with any form of memory loss / dementia is very welcome to come along for information and support. It is a wonderful friendly group who welcome new members. For more details please call Judy Bartholomew on 66592011 . Carers we can entertain the person you care for, while you attend support groups or counselling; there is no charge, just call Waratah the day before your appointment so we can cater for an extra person.

Any donations of food or small gifts towards the Christmas Hamper please send them in soon.

Monday 9 th January the Day Club starts back and our evening club on Tuesday the 10 th.

Carers Day at the Cavanbah Hall was a great success again this year; if you haven’t already been to one, try and make it next year. It is always held in Carers Week in October.

Why does Santa always go down the chimney?
Because it soots him!
Where does Santa stay when he's on holidays?
At a Ho-ho-tel!

What does Santa put on his toast ?
"Jingle Jam"

Don’t forget we are only a phone call away. Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year from all your friends at Waratah .

Commonly asked questions regarding residential respite .

• I have never accessed residential respite, what do I do? Answer: to be eligible for residential respite an Aged Care Assessment is required. If you have not had an Aged care Assessment, ring Intake on 6567646 and request an assessment.

• What is an Aged Care Assessment? Answer: An Aged Care Assessment is when a professional from the Aged Care Assessment Team ( ACAT) visit you at home and ask you a series of questions about your health and the support you may need to remain safely at home. The assessment is recorded on a Aged Care Client Record (ACCR) and the person being assessed is graded as requiring low or high care. ( if you have a package of care such as an EACH or CACP package, you have already had an assessment)

• How many days residential respite am I entitled to each year? Answer: 9 weeks or 63 days per financial year ( 1 st July – 30 th June) unless you have a CACP or EACH package of care in which case it is 56 days per financial year.

• Will the Department of Veterans Affairs pay for the residential respite? Answer: if you or the person you care for have a DVA Gold card, you may be eligible. Call DVA on 1300550450 to enquire.

• Can I book Residential respite all at once? Answer: Yes! if you wish to plan your breaks for the whole year and you have had the ACAT assessment you can book it in any combination you like i.e in one block of 9 weeks , weekly , two weeks ect .

• What are the admission and discharge days? Answer: each facility is different. At Waratah it is Wednesday to Wednesday.

• What do Carers need to do after they have booked their respite? Answer: Make an appointment with their doctor for about a week before they are due to come into respite. Request a current medication chart and a medical profile. Take the medication chart and tablets to your chemist and request them to pack them into a webster pak and ask for a signing sheet. Bring the sheets and medications on the day of admission.

• How much is residential respite? Answer: the cost is set by the Department of Health and Ageing; it is currently$289.10 per week.

• What do I pack for respite? Answer: pack at least 4 changes of comfortable clothes and any special items like photos or favourite pillow. At Waratah we wash the persons clothes inhouse, so we request that you simply mark each item of clothing using a texta pen on the clothing / designer tag at the rear of the item i.e. The name Wendy Connor would be “W.C.”. Any other questions regarding respite you can contact Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre on 1800052222 or Waratah staff on 66483610.

WARATAH NEWSLETTER

Oct 2011

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well and enjoying the warmer weather .

The Melbourne Cup will be held on Tuesday 1 st November, we will have our usual, fun day and celebrations. We always have a best hat and bestdressed competition so dust off the racing outfits and get them ready.

As we approach Christmas I must remind you that the Christmas Party is booked for 20th December at the Coffs Club ( the old Catholic Club )More details to follow closer to the date.

The respite beds ( cottage) will be closed from Wednesday 21 st Dec for one week. There will be some painting and floor covering replacements attended during the week and it will be reopened on 28 th Dec.

Don’t forget to get in early if you want to book residential respite, just give the staff a call and they can tell you what is available and help you with the booking. Phone 66483610

For more information, turn over this page and read the answers to the most common questions regarding residential respite.

“Well” Jerry said “I’m thinking of going back to the Bahamas to pick her up.”

 Carers Don’t forget that we can entertain the person you care for, while you attend support groups or counselling; there is no charge, just call Waratah the day before your appointment so we can cater for an extra person.

A very important day to acknowledge this November is 11/11/11Remembrance Day Waratah will be having a special morning tea.

Don’t forget if you would like to have a chat with a our Coffs Harbour Dementia Advisor call Marg Coutts on 66592198.

The Coffs Harbour Dementia Carer Support Group meets every third Tuesday of the month. All family and friends of people caring for someone with any form of memory loss / dementia is very welcome to come along for information and support. It is a wonderful friendly group who welcome new members. For more details please call Judy Bartholomew on 66592011 .

Carers Don’t forget that we can entertain the person you care for, while you attend support groups or counselling; there is no charge, just call Waratah the day before your appointment so we can cater for an extra person.

Don’t forget we are only a phone call away. Take care & keep safe.

Your friend s at Waratah .

Commonly asked questions regarding residential respite .

• I have never accessed residential respite, what do I do? Answer: to be eligible for residential respite an Aged Care Assessment is required. If you have not had an Aged care Assessment, ring Intake on 6567646 and request an assessment.

• What is an Aged Care Assessment? Answer: An Aged Care Assessment is when a professional from the Aged Care Assessment Team ( ACAT) visit you at home and ask you a series of questions about your health and the support you may need to remain safely at home. The assessment is recorded on a Aged Care Client Record (ACCR) and the person being assessed is graded as requiring low or high care. ( if you have a package of care such as an EACH or CACP package, you have already had an assessment)

• How many days residential respite am I entitled to each year? Answer: 9 weeks or 63 days per financial year ( 1 st July – 30 th June) unless you have a CACP or EACH package of care in which case it is 56 days per financial year.

• Will the Department of Veterans Affairs pay for the residential respite? Answer: if you or the person you care for have a DVA Gold card, you may be eligible. Call DVA on 1300550450 to enquire.

• Can I book Residential respite all at once? Answer: Yes! if you wish to plan your breaks for the whole year and you have had the ACAT assessment you can book it in any combination you like i.e in one block of 9 weeks , weekly , two weeks ect .

• What are the admission and discharge days? Answer: each facility is different. At Waratah it is Wednesday to Wednesday.

• What do Carers need to do after they have booked their respite? Answer: Make an appointment with their doctor for about a week before they are due to come into respite. Request a current medication chart and a medical profile. Take the medication chart and tablets to your chemist and request them to pack them into a webster pak and ask for a signing sheet. Bring the sheets and medications on the day of admission.

• How much is residential respite? Answer: the cost is set by the Department of Health and Ageing; it is currently$289.10 per week.

• What do I pack for respite? Answer: pack at least 4 changes of comfortable clothes and any special items like photos or favourite pillow. At Waratah we wash the persons clothes inhouse, so we request that you simply mark each item of clothing using a texta pen on the clothing / designer tag at the rear of the item i.e. The name Wendy Connor would be “W.C.”. Any other questions regarding respite you can contact Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre on 1800052222 or Waratah staff on 66483610.

WARATAH NEWSLETTER

July 2011

Hi to you all, I hope you are all well and keeping warm; I think it has been the coldest winter we have had for a few years.

We are aware there are some very nasty colds and influenza, lurking around Coffs. It is very important not to come to Waratah if you are unwell; it is best for everyone if you stay at home and look after yourself rather than to come into the club and share the bug with your mates.

Overnight Respite beds ; Carers the 1st of July marks the beginning of the New Year to access up to 9 weeks a year overnight respite .

Waratah only has 6 respite beds so if you are planning a break it is very important to book ahead to ensure you get the dates you want / need. (Sadly we often have carers ring at the last minute and we can’t helpthem) Waratah admits and discharges each Wednesday; we have a minimum stay of one week and the current cost for one week of overnight respiteis $ 281. 75 If you haven’t accessed overnight respite and you would like to know more about, how to book it, contact our staff on 66483610, they will explain the process and inform you of the availability of beds. Plan ahead and don’t be disappointed.

A very important number to have isour local Alzheimer’s Australia

The Dementia Advisor is a lady called Marg Coutts you can contact Marg on 66592198.

The Coffs Harbour Dementia Carer Support Group meets every third Tuesday of the month. All family and friends of people caring for someone with any form of memory loss / dementia is very welcome to come along for support and information. For more details please call Judy Bartholomew on 66592011 .

JOKE :Jerry was at a marriage seminar, and the leader of the seminar, a lady, was asking everybody how long they were married for. When it was Jerry’s turn Jerry said that he was married for almost 50 years. “Wow” the leader gushed “that’s amazing, perhaps you can take a few minutes to share some insights with everybody, how you stay married to the same woman for so long.

“Well,” Jerry said after thinking for a few moments, “I try to treat her nice, buy her presents, take her on trips…………. and best of all, for our 25th anniversary I took her to the Bahamas.”

“Well that’s really beautiful, and a true inspiration for all of us” the lady said “maybe you can tell us what you are going to do for your 50th anniversary” she said with a smile

“Well” Jerry said “I’m thinking of going back to the Bahamas to pick her up.”

 Carers Don’t forget that we can entertain the person you care for, while you attend support groups or counselling; there is no charge, just call Waratah the day before your appointment so we can cater for an extra person.

ART THERAPY - Art therapy workshops at Coffs Harbour and Nambucca Heads are held in a safe, accessible location where all the equipment, utensils and encouragement needed for budding artists to enjoy. 10am – 12md alternate Tuesdays - contact Trudi McCaul on 65684049.

A lady noticed a happy old man sitting on his porch. “Excuse me” she said “I just couldn’t help noticing how happy you look. Tell me, what is the secret to your longhappy life?”
“Well, the man responded, “I eat fatty foods, I never exercise. I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day, and drink about a case of whiskey a week”
“ Wow ” said the woman “just how old areyou?”

“I’m 28” he said.

Some hints to keep a sharp brain

• Learn – use it or lose it
• Nutrition – eat healthy food
• Exercise - daily
• Positive thoughts- lose the negative thinking
• Challenges- try new things, new environments be flexible
• Laugh
• Aim high
• Explore
• Be around stimulating friends

Thursday 5 th August is the Coffs Harbour Cup Day and it is a public holiday from 12md. We will be closing the Day Centre at 2pm that day, which means those people who stay until 4pm will be leaving 2 hours earlier than normal. I apologise for the inconvenience this may cause you.

Keep an eye out for the annual surveys; they will be posted out soon. We really appreciate you spending the time to complete the surveys so that we know what we don’t do well, what we do well, what you think is the best features of the club and your suggestions on how we can improve the service.

Don’t forget we are only a phone call away. We can often answer those tricky questions and if we can’t we know someone who can.

Take care & keep safe.

Your friend s at Waratah .

WARATAH RESPITE SERVICES

March 2011

Hi everyone, well here it is Autumn already, I hope this newsletter finds you all well.

We have bed vacancies over the next few months , so if you haven’t used up your annual 9 weeks overnight respite, book it in before the end of June,( which is only 16 weeks away) ; ring the staff and they will let you know what dates are available. Plan your break. Ph 66483610 .

Do you need information on Overnight Respite at Waratah?

 If you haven’t accessed overnight respite and you would like know more about it, phone Waratah and ask to speak to the registered nurse on duty. They will explain the procedure and assist you where possible.

When you are coming into overnight respite please make certain all clothes are marked, including the clothes that are worn in on the day

We have commenced the kitchen renovations, it all looks a bit odd, and because we are doing it in stages to prevent shutting down the service; when it is complete we will paint the walls and cover the floor

A very important number to have isour local Alzheimer’s Australia

Dementia Advisor who is a lovely lady called MargCoutts contact Marg on 66592198.

 WARNING

The upcoming Easter Break is rather long; the Day , Evening and Saturday clubs will be closed from, and including Friday 22 nd April and open again on Wednesday 27 thApril. The three days covers Easter and Anzac Day. Overnight respite beds are still available over Easter.

If you have a cold or the flu, please do not come to Waratah, we don’t want to spread it to our friends or staff; stay at home until you are well again. Thank you.

 On that note don’t forget to get your annual Flu vaccinations; they will be available from this month.

The Coffs Harbour Dementia Carer Support Group meets every third Tuesday of the month. All family and friends of people caring for someone with any form of memory loss / dementia is very welcome to come along for support and information. For more details please call Judy Bartholomew (another lovely lady) on 66592911.

As manager of Waratah, I receive wonderful feedback about the carer support groups; carers tell me how comfortable they feel in a friendly group of people who have the same experiences; the information regarding assistance , education and resources is up to date, very relevant and accurate.

THE NEXT CARER SUPPORT GROUP  

The March Carer Support group will be held at Interrelate in Park Ave Coffs Harbour on 15 th March 10 – 12md; the Guest Speaker will be a person from the Aged Care Assessment Team ( ACAT) .

A NOT TO BE MISSED MEETING

“The secret to being miserable is to have leisure to bother about whether you are happy or not. The cure of it is occupation.” – GB Shaw

Carers Don’t forget that we can entertain the person you care for, while you attend support groups or counselling; there is no charge, just call the centre the day before so staff know to expect an extra person.

ART THERAPY - Art therapy workshops at Coffs Harbour and Nambucca Heads are held in a safe, accessible location where all the equipment, utensils and encouragement needed for budding artists to enjoy. 10am – 12md alternate Tuesdays - contact Trudi McCaul on 65684049.

Quote “People who never change their minds are either perfect or stubborn

Art Exhibition

An Art exhibition will be held at the Botanical Gardens 10.30 – 12 noon on Tuesday 5 th April. The art works displayed will be from the art therapy Group.

Another Warning : Thursday Clients please note that on the 31 st of March staff have compulsory education, so we will close the club at 2pm. Apologises to the 4pm people

We are hoping to have a few extra bus trips during May and June; it just depends on the budget towards the end on the financial year.

Don’t forget we are only a phone call away, take care & keep safe.

Your friends, at Waratah .

Joke :- A man went to visit a friend and was amazed to find him playing chess with his dog. He watched the game in astonishment “I can hardly believe my eyes” he exclaimed. “That is the smartest dog I have ever seen” – “Nah, he’s not that smart said his friend, I have beaten him three games out of five”

Waratah Respite Centre Newsletter December 2010

Hi everyone, I hope this newsletter finds you all well.

First up for those of you who may not already know, our day and evening programs finish on Tuesday 21 st Dec ( the Christmas Party) and resume on Tuesday the 4 th January  

Thanks very much to everyone who donated to the Christmas raffle, it is larger than ever! There are some wonderful prizes, it is well worth winning. Good luck everyone!

Some of you may have noticed that we have removed the old laundry, allowing more room. The new laundry is much larger and more efficient.

In 2011 we will be renovating the kitchen. Wow it never stops still for very long around here.

Don’t forget that we can supervise and entertain the person you care for, while you attend support groups or counselling; there is no charge, just call the centre the day before so staff know to expect an extra person.

A very important number to have is our local Alzheimer’s Australia

Dementia Advisor Marg Coutts 66592198.

Infection Control : If you have a cold or the flu, please do not come to Waratah, we don’t want to spread it to our clients or staff; stay at home until you are well again. Thank you.

Don’t forget to plan your respite ahead, ring our staff and check when we have beds available or to explore options 66483610.

When you are coming into overnight respite please make certain all clothes are marked, including the clothes that are worn in on the day

Don’t forget we are only a phone call away, take care & keep cool.

The Coffs Harbour Dementia Carer Support Group meets every third Tuesday of the month, starting back on 17 th Feb 2011. All family and friends of people caring for someone with any form of memory loss / dementia is very welcome to come along for support and information. For more details please call Judy Bartholomew on 66592911.

A family education session looking at dementia and depression will be held on the 16 th Feb in Coffs Harbour, call Judy for more information.

Staff and management wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and health 2011. We look forward to catching up with you next year

Your friends, at Waratah .

Waratah Respite Centre Newsletter December 09

Season’s Greetings Everyone

Christmas Party
 I would like to again invite you all to our Christmas party at Cavanbah Hall on Wednesday the 16th Dec; some of you have apparently misplaced your original invitations. If you have not already responded to the invitation please RSVP to staff for catering purposes.

Christmas Hamper Raffle
Tickets for the   Christmas Hampers will be sold at the party and  it will be drawn after lunch.

The Flower Show
Congratulations  & thank you to the volunteers and staff who organised the Flower Show, it is a huge task to collect all the  treasures, place them in the correct categories and set up the beautiful displays. Thank you to everyone who participated in the day. The winners were

Peoples Choice :- Elsie Clive
Best Dressed- ladies: Kay Burton & Madeleine Kratz.
Best Dressed – Gentlemen – Dan West  & Harry Bracken

Lost & Found
A few months ago staff found a ladies ring at the centre and we have not been able to locate the owner, if you think it may be yours please call us.

Men’s Group Outings
Our Men’s groups remain very popular; in fact we have more men coming to our club then women!

Bus Outings
We continue to rotate the Ladies and Men’s bus outings to remain fair to everyone

Waratah Day Club
Waratah Day Club will be closed from Monday the 21st Dec and reopen on the 4th Jan 2010.

Official Opening of our renovations
The official opening of the new bedrooms and outdoor area was held on the 13th of November. The new bedrooms are larger, have individual ensuites, reverse cycle air conditioning, fans and flat screen televisions. 

Overnight Respite
Our overnight cottage is closed over the Christmas week, Wednesday 23rd - 30th Dec. We still have some vacancies from the 30th, so if you are thinking about it, now is the time to book it. The number to make a booking is 1800052222. Minimum stay at Waratah is one week, Wednesday to Wednesday .If you would like more information, call Waratah and we can explain the process.

Cancellations
If you wish to cancel coming into the centre please ring the Waratah Centre on 6648 3610 as soon as possible so that we can cancel the Taxi and save the cost of the trip.

Counselling, education and support groups

Alzheimer’s Australia   has a Memory Centre in Port Macquarie, and hold monthly groups in Coffs Harbour. For more information phone 65847444 

Interrelate @ 24 Park Ave Coffs Harbour, can provide free counselling to carers who are concerned about caring issues and planning for the future. For more information, phone 66594150 and identify yourself as a Carer.

Carers NSW
2/222 Harbour Dr Coffs Harbour
Phone 66500512

Don’t forget that we can look after and entertain the person you care for, while you attend the dementia support groups or counselling; it is free of charge, just   call the day before to let the staff know an extra person will be coming in for awhile.

Do not forget that we are only a phone call away, take care

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year
 from your friends, at Waratah.

Waratah Respite Centre Newsletter

July 2009

 Excellence in care for adults who are frail aged or who have a disability while providing respite and support for their carers
www.waratahrespite.org

Renovations Update

Just a reminder to carers, that the Carer’s Support Group meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month here in the Community Village. It is a lovely group of carers; they have lunch and support each other in their caring roles.  The next few meetings are 9th July, 13th August and 10th September. For more information contact Daphne 66537686

Interrelate @ 24 Park Ave Coffs Harbour, can provide free counselling to carers who are concerned about caring issues and planning for the future.

For more information and to book counselling, phone 66594150 and indentify yourself as a carer to the person answering the phone.

Don’t forget that we can entertain the person you care for, while you attend the support group or counselling; it is free of charge, just   call the day before to let the staff know an extra person will be coming in for awhile.

Thanks very much to everyone who donated to the Cancer Council Appeal, $116 was raised.

It is almost time for the annual surveys. We will post them out to each family with a stamped addressed envelope. We appreciate all feedback; we cannot improve things if we don’t know what you think.

Please do not forget that we are only a phone call away, take care

 We hope this newsletter finds you all well, happy and warm

Your friends, at Waratah.

WARATAH RESPITE CENTRE
NEWSLETTER FOR
MARCH 2009

The year is speeding past and we have Easter  just around the corner.

Please note that the day and evening programs will not be held on Easter Friday, Easter Saturday or Easter Monday.

Thank you for supporting the Easter Raffle, it will be drawn around the 8th April, and the lucky winner will be notified by telephone.

We have had a fun time celebrating St Patricks Day this week and we have had cheeky green leprechauns   all over the place, telling jokes, did you hear this one:
Casey and Riley agreed to settle their dispute by a fight, and it was understood that whoever wanted to quit should say "Enough."
Casey got Riley down and was hammering him unmercifully when Riley called out several times, "Enough!" As Casey paid no attention, but kept on administering punishment, a bystander said, "Why don't you let him up? Don't you hear him say that he's had enough?" "I do," says Casey, "but he's such a liar, you can't believe him.

Renovations Update

Well you are not going to believe it we have finally started the renovations! It is very exciting and the work is being closely observed by all.

Many of our friends who come into overnight respite are really looking forward to checking out their new rooms. We are hoping to have it completed by the end of June and look forward to getting our beds full again.

Our Gaddabout ladies are raising money to help with new furniture. We would also like to thank Park Beach Ladies Bowling Club, Sawtell Bonville Lions Club and Coffs City Rotary Club for their donations towards purchasing new beds.

Taxi Transport Reminder

If you wish to cancel coming into the centre please ring the Waratah Centre on 6648 3610 as soon as possible so that we can cancel the Taxi for you. We have to pay for the trip if the taxi is not cancelled in time.

Please do not forget that we are only a phone call away, Happy
Easter; safe journeys if you are travelling           

 Wallis, and your friends, at Waratah.

PS. It is not so much of our friends ’help that helps us, as the confident knowledge that they will help us. Epicurus

WARATAH RESPITE CENTRE
NEWSLETTER FOR
Jan 09

Happy New Year.

May 2009 be a great year for you all.

We hope to have another fun filled year, with lots of activities. The Ladies and Men’s outings have commenced and the mixed group bus outings will be starting in March.

Due to popular demand we will have another Flower Show this year and we have already booked the new Cavanbah Centre for our Christmas Party on 16th December (note that in your diaries).

Taxi Transport Reminder

If you use the taxi service to attend Waratah and are unable to attend or have to change days etc, could you please ring the Waratah Centre on 6648 3610 as soon as possible so that we can cancel the Taxi for you.

If a taxi goes out unnecessarily to your home, Waratah incurres the full cost of the fare; we run a very tight budget, and extra cost hurts.  

Renovations Update

It is hard to comprehend that it is over 12mths since we were allocated funding from the Dept of Health and Ageing, to simply extend the size of the 6 bedrooms and add ensuites. You may recall that we originally planned to commence the renovations on 1st July 08.

The delay in obtaining the CC has been due to changes in the Building Codes of Australia, environmental regulations, legislation and the many studies / reports requested by Council. Council assures us that they are fast tracking our project.

Norma from Red Cross is looking for volunteers for her Hands On Service. The Red Cross ladies visit Waratah once a month and talk to our clients and residents while giving lovely manicures.
If you are interested in volunteering please contact Norma on 66531660 (training is available) 

Don’t forget that we are only a phone call away,

Take care             

Wallis & your Friends at Waratah

PS “If you don’t believe it is a great day, just try missing one.” (Zig Ziglar)

WARATAH RESPITE CENTRE
NEWSLETTER FOR
November 2008

HELLO CLIENTS AND CARERS

Christmas is approaching fast we have quiet a lot on in the coming months and hope to see you at some of the events.

Fundraiser

We are having a trivia night on November 21st to raise some funds for the Waratah Centre (Details are on the attached flyer.)
If you would like to have some fun and a good night out come and join us.

Christmas Party

Our clients and carers Christmas party will be held at the Community Village on Monday the 22nd December. Invitation will be sent out to you soon.

Closure of Waratah over Christmas

The centre will be closed this year for our HACC and NRCP services from Tuesday 23rd December for two weeks. The centre will reopen on Monday 5th January.

A lot of dates to remember but we will endeavour to send out reminders.

Taxi Transport Users

If you use the taxi service to attend Waratah and are unable to attend or have to change days etc, could you please ring the Waratah Centre on 6648 3610 as soon as possible so we can cancel the Taxi for you. We would appreciate this as it saves us paying for unnecessary trips, thank you.

Renovations Update

In our last newsletter we mentioned the building of our new cottage rooms. We are still waiting for council to approve our DA & CC we hope to start before Christmas.

The Christmas Beetle Poem

When Christmas comes the Christmas heat’ll

bring once more the Christmas Beetle

The first inflammatory breeze’ll

Set him buzzing like a diesel.

Hear him open up his throttle

As he hums above the wattle!

Hear him zoom, and snarl and rattle

Like a fighter plane in battle!

Watch him dive to sink and settle-

Folding up his wings of metal –

Cutting off the engines sound

as quietly as he comes to ground.

Then watch some sparrow, frail and lowly,

Strike him swiftly, rend him wholly.

 Henny and your Friends at Waratah
(Wallis is on a well deserved Holiday)

A Word from Waratah July 08

Hi Everyone
Just a quick note to fill you in on a few upcoming events
We are hoping to hold a fund raising night at the Sawtell Theatre on Thursday 14th August to see the movie Mama Mia. The plans are not finalised; we are considering having drinks and nibbles before the movie. All clients and carers are welcome. However, we are not able to organise transport; that will be your responsibility. I will send a note home next week to confirm it.

A thought for those of you who shop at IGA shops; Waratah is a registered charity and eligible to receive the community benefits. Our staff and committee have the special tags and we receive a trickle of money each month. Therefore, if you are trying to choose a benefit, think of Waratah, we are a Coffs Harbour and District community service, we respond to our community needs and our Management Committee are all volunteers.

In the last newsletter, I told you that we had applied to the Federal Government for funding to add ensuites onto our 6 bedrooms in the cottage. Well I am very pleased to report that we have been successful in our application and council are currently processing our DA and CC.

While the ensuites are under construction, we will have two overnight respite beds operating; we are aiming to commence the construction in Sept, but it may be a little later then that…… We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you, however the finished product will be well worth it!

The Jetty Memorial Theatre is hosting CODGERS 28th – 30 August. It is a comedy about ageing, friendship and being a codger. Apparently, everyone knows one, is related to one, lives with one or is one.  Bookings 66528088

You will soon receive our annual satisfaction surveys; please be brutally honest and let us know where our service may be disappointing you, what you consider requires improvement and tell us what you feel we are doing well.  Remember if we do not know the problem, we cannot fix it.

The NSW Taxi Council is running the Country Taxi Driver of the year awards (which ends in 26th Sept) if you would like to vote for your favourite Taxi driver, ask him or her their surname and call 1800648478 to vote or you can pick up a form from your driver. For more information, call 131008.

Just a reminder about our “Flower Show With a Difference”  which will be held on 20th August at The Botanical Gardens.

Hopefully you are already searching for treasures / articles to enter into our flower show. The articles just need to have a flower on them.
The categories are:-

1. China / glass/ornaments 2. novelty items

3. tapestry 4. jewellery 5. paper or wood

6. linen. 

There is entry Fee of $1 per item; you can only enter one item in each category. All care will be taken with your entries and treasures but we cannot take responsibility for any loss or damages.

There will be a Best Dressed Prize so get dressed in your Best Flower Outfits, Hat etc and you  might win a prize.

We will send out another note closer to the flower show, advising when to submit your entries

Morning Tea, Lunch and Transport is provided; clients are coming from Bellingen and Woolgoolga!  It will be a fun day with lots of laughs.

For clients it is the  normal fee for the day,   and carers $5 each.

If you have, any enquiries contact Debbie or Lyn at Waratah on Ph: 6648 3611.

Take care; do not hesitate to ring if you have a problem; we may be able to help or at least point your in the right direction.

 Wallis & your Friends at Waratah