LeisureTimeAgmMinutes2014

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LEISURE TIME ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2014

Leisure Time completed another positive and effective year of sharing loving hospitality and friendship with isolated seniors in our community. We have provided a welcoming and relaxed place where people are able to come weekly to connect, engage, belong and feel valued. The individuality of our guests is respected and their needs and preferences are carefully accommodated. This includes dietary and mobility needs, as well as preferences for outings, activities and topics of conversation.

In 2014, Leisure Time operated with the significant dedication and effort of 65 dedicated volunteers who served as day leaders, hosts, home cooks, kitchen helpers, drivers and Committee members. Thank you to our volunteers for all of these voluntary and time-consuming efforts. Our guests consistently tell us how important and helpful their participation at Leisure Time is in their lives. 2014 was the 36th year of Leisure Time. Our records show that at least 276 local seniors have been members of Leisure Time in that period.

For our volunteers, the friendships formed while working together have also been happy and beneficial. Most volunteers are rostered monthly, but some do more and some help on an emergency basis. Well done and thanks. As always, the meals and table set-up are fantastic, and the activities prepared by the leaders are stimulating, interesting and good fun. The Chinese cooking demonstration was a new activity introduced last year and was a great hit with the guests. The leaders who chopped lots of vegetables certainly earned their taster meals that day.

One guest wrote an article for us called “the Best day of My Life” in which she says “A huge thank you to all the people who put together our Leisure Time program... thanks to our inspiring and dedicated volunteers...you are changing my life for the better...I now have hope, trust, self-confidence, and a sense of purpose and pleasure.”

Our AGM on April 7th 2014 was well attended, and the committee positions were filled as follows:

Deputy positions

** Indicates non-committee office bearers

Our committee continues to meet six times per year with informal communication in between as required. The system of having deputies to cover all major positions has worked well as some of our office bearers have been away for extended periods.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the following committee members whose 3-year terms are finishing today: Barbara Thompson, Pat Vevers, Ross Vevers and Margaret Fraser. I hasten to add that all are eligible for re-election however. We have accepted resignations from the committee from Bev Richardson and Jenny Robertson. We thank them for their service and are grateful that they are continuing their commitment on the Leisure Time roster with other duties. The guest speaker at the 2014 AGM was Jinju Oh, the Intake & Information Officer, Community Care, Monash City Council. Jinju presented “Caring today, Active Tomorrow”, explaining the Home and Community Care (HACC) program for seniors available through Monash Council. She also stayed on after the meeting to meet with the committee and other volunteers.

Our Leisure Time roster has again been uploaded to the church Wiki. We needed fewer drivers in the latter part of 2014, because only about half of the guests were being picked up by our own drivers. The others were outside our pick-up zone and came by taxi, relative, carer or friend or they drove themselves (one guest). Our yearly calendar of activities and meetings was also uploaded to the Wiki.

Volunteers and guests are always welcome to contribute ideas or concerns at any time. Communication with volunteers was maintained by: • three newsletters/year, • invitations to the AGM and the Christmas break-up • Care meetings held three times/yr, attended by Day Leaders and the Coordinator

One further highlight of 2014 was the Caroline Chisholm Award presented to me by Anna Burke MP for community service. This was received with pride on behalf of all Leisure Time volunteers.

Guest Information

Our guest list included 26 different guests during 2014. We aim to have up to 20 guests present each Monday. Although we did have that number on our roll throughout the year, absentee numbers were higher than in the past and we had an average attendance over the year of about 14. Some of our guests have serious health conditions, including mental health issues, and need to be absent for several weeks at a time.

We introduced 9 new guests during 2014, which is the highest number of new guests in recent years. Some of these new guests have not been able to stay in the program for as long as we would have hoped, due to other factors in their lives, but all were made to feel very welcome and appreciated our kindness and care.

One of our much loved guests, John De Ravin, passed away in late 2014. John was a great supporter of Leisure Time, and as a member of our GWUC congregation, took his role of welcoming others very seriously. He always tried to be cheery and encouraging and do his best to participate in all activities, especially singing. We do miss him. Our volunteers also attended funerals for three guests from past years – Peter Thorpe, Joan Carver and Thelma McEachern. They are all remembered fondly and our sympathy was extended to their families.

Guests continued to contribute $7 per week when they attended, and this seems to be affordable for them. The accessibility of our buildings, eg. ramp, large toilet, has become increasingly important in recent years.

Outings

We have again been successful in our application for a Monash Council Community Grant which means we are able to select an interesting range of outings at an affordable price to our guests ($15 max.) plus host the Christmas party at no cost to guests. Once again, we acknowledge the skilled efforts of Cliff Baker in preparing the successful submission. The Outings committee chooses outings carefully to be both interesting and safe and manageable for our guests, some of whom need to use wheelchairs when out and about. We always need plenty of helpers. Everyone enjoys the camaraderie at outings, and lots of laughter can be heard. Outings rate very highly on our program.

The 2014 outings were:

Community Hub Mission Group (CHMG)

Leisure Time is one of the GWUC programs that sits within the Community Hub Mission Group. The CHMG provides a supportive forum and is also our link with Church Council. Information about Leisure Time is provided to the congregation, through the CHMG noticeboard, weekly and monthly Bulletins, Newview and reports to Church Council. Leisure Time brochures are always available from the CHMG noticeboard.

Connecting with the wider Community

As in previous years, an extensive effort was made during 2014 to promote Leisure Time to all agencies which assess and support isolated seniors in the Glen Waverley/Monash area. We rely on their assistance to identify and connect with possible new guests. Brochures were sent and emailed to agencies and local churches and many phone calls and some visits were made. In addition, Cliff Baker attends the Monash Interagency Network meetings convened by Monash Council to keep up our profile with those agencies.

We have ensured our inclusion in the Monash Positive Ageing Lifestyles (PALS) program, which allows us to advertise three “Come and Try” mornings each year, as well as in the October Seniors Month program. These program booklets are distributed through local libraries and many seniors groups. We were also able to book a display space at Glen Waverley Library for the month of March, and set up a photographic display with brochures available. This resulted in participation of two new guests.

Interim Arrangements for coordination after 13th April 2015 My role as Coordinator finishes today. The committee and I have tried to attract one or more people to take on all or part of this position. Unfortunately, this was not to be, so until someone does make that offer, the committee has split the duties amongst ourselves. Leisure Time can continue effectively for the time being. A review of this Interim Arrangement will be held later in the year. Obviously we are still keen to hear from anyone who feels a call to take on all or part of the role.

It is a great privilege and pleasure to serve our community’s seniors with love and care and hospitality. I pray for God’s continued wisdom and blessing on our labour of love at Leisure Time. I also pray for each of our guests and volunteers – may they know God’s presence and strength with them each day.

May I also take this opportunity to thank all those who have supported, encouraged and guided me during my time as Coordinator. I hope to retain all those lovely relationships that I have developed with both volunteers and guests. I would also like to thank Heather Hon, office manager, who has given me both practical help and wise advice on many occasions.

Margaret Fraser, Leisure Time Coordinator, April 2015