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LEISURE TIME 2018 Annual Report

During 2018 Leisure Time has maintained its mission objectives and has 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 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 conversations In October we celebrated 40 years of Leisure Time operations. Our practices have changed with time, but the principles remain constant There is a brief report on these celebrations later in this document.

Committee matters

As the position of Coordinator is still vacant, the major changes in the Committee of Management structure which occurred at the 2016 AGM largely remained in place in 2018. One significant move for our 40th year of operation in 2018 was the resignation of Elwyn Pederson, who has now moved to Adelaide. Elwyn has given many years of service. With her typical care, she arranged and trained Joyce Ennor as her replacement and the Volunteer Roster has continued to operate excellently this year. We also welcomed Susan Karoly as a new Committee member. The allocation of responsibilities for 2018, shown below, arose from the AGM held on April 16, 2018.

Deputy positions

** Indicates non-committee office bearers

There are 5 Committee Members whose term will finish at the April 15, 2019 AGM –Margaret Fraser, Pat Vevers, Ross Vevers , Barbara Thompson and Cliff Baker. All five people have completed 9 years or more of continuous Leisure Time Committee Service, but, using the relevant clause of Leisure Time’s Constitution, the Church Council has agreed that they may be re-elected for 1 year.

Due to declining heath I (Cliff Baker) will not be able to nominate for Chairperson for 2019, but will try to perform the Treasurer’s role for another year. All other serving Committee members have indicated their willingness to sign on for another term – see the agenda paper re Committee elections. Our committee continues to meet six times per year with informal communication in between as required. The system of having deputies to cover major positions has worked well as some of our office bearers have been away for extended periods.

Volunteers

Throughout the year Leisure Time operated with the significant input and effort of over 60 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. We were very pleased to welcome a few new volunteers, including community (non-congregation) people. All new volunteers underwent police checks.

For our volunteers, the friendships formed while working together have also been happy and beneficial. Most volunteers were 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 programs included guest speakers on overseas trips, Victorian history, craft and many other interesting sessions.

Our Volunteers are always welcome to contribute ideas or concerns at any time. Communication with volunteers was maintained by:

*Three newsletters/year *Invitations to the AGM, the 40th year party and the Christmas break-up *Care and Communication sub-committee meetings held three times/year, attended by Day Leaders

Volunteers are the essence of Leisure Time – without them it would not exist. Our heartfelt thanks to all those who have helped in 2018, most of whom have given many years of service. Unfortunately, a number of 2018 volunteers had to either fully retire or reduce their involvement in 2019, leaving us no option but to reduce services in 2019. Hence the decision was taken to hold Leisure Time only on first, third and fifth Mondays.

Our yearly calendar of activities and meetings is on the GWUC Wiki, http://wiki.gwuc.org.au/gwuc/

Guest Information

Our retention and recruitment of guests continued to be very successful and guest numbers were maintained at the maximum of 23 during almost the whole of the year in 2018. As a consequence we have modified our advertising in the Monash Council’s PALS booklet and the local press. Average Monday attendances were in excess of 18.

Our guests consistently tell us how important and helpful their participation at Leisure Time is in their lives. 2018 was the 40th year of Leisure Time and our records show that hundreds of local seniors have been members of Leisure Time over that period. During the year there were several potential members who attended one or more sessions but did not 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. The accessibility of our buildings, e.g. carpark access, internal ramp, large toilet, has become increasingly important in recent years.

Guests continued to contribute $7 per week when they attended, and average outings cost was less than $15 per person. This seems to be affordable for them.

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 maximum, sometimes less) plus host the Christmas party at no cost to guests. The Outings committee chooses outings carefully to be 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 2018 outings were:

The December Christmas Party was a highlight of the year. There was a good attendance to the Volunteers’ morning tea. Entertainment was provided after morning tea by children from the Glen Waverley Primary School, and all were delighted by the singing and music performed by the school choirs. Items by children are loved by the elderly guests.

The guest list for lunch was similar to last year as were again able to extend invitations to some non-committee members who had assisted Leisure Time operations during the year. All enjoyed the excellent food, the handmade decorations and the “Christmas Spirit” which obviously existed amongst all present. Guests were presented with a small Christmas present. T he day concluded with a short Christmas Service led by DiPaterson.

Thanks to all Outing Committee members for their organisation, to our host leaders, kitchen helpers, the drivers and all those volunteers who attended to support the guests on the day. Thank you also to the ministry team members who came along and chatted with the guests.

40 Year Celebrations

Leisure Time is now in its 41st year of providing this service, with our first group meeting being held in October 1978. We have celebrated our 40th anniversary with a party, on October 29th, for guests and past and current volunteers, and some visitors, time to reminisce over a “Brunch”.

The program for the day was:

• 10:30am
  • All guests were ushered into hall and shown the displays. Most had a cuppa once seated. They were encouragement to mingle and talk – the committee assisted
• 11.00am
  • Welcome by Cliff. Presentation on LT 40 years by Susan, with TV photos
  • Cutting of celebration cake (by Rosemary Condon as longest serving volunteer)
  • Finally Thank you to all the volunteers by Margaret .
• 11.30am
  • Brunch in the hall (finger food, cuppa, and birthday cake).
  • More mingling.
• 1:00pm Home time - Pick-up for the guests

Visitors included the Monash Council Mayor, Councillors and Senior staff and the Local State MP.

Leisure Time guests were present and, most importantly, so were many volunteers from years past and present. All were impressed and it was a very happy & successful celebration.

Community Hub Mission Group (CHMG)

Leisure Time is still a member of 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 Welcome Table.

Connecting with the wider Community and Monash Council

As in previous years, an effort was made to connect and promote Leisure Time with other agencies involved in local aged care. We continued our inclusion in the Monash Council Positive Ageing Lifestyles (PALS) program, which allowed us to advertise our regular activities. These program booklets are distributed through local libraries and to many seniors groups. Response to the Monash PALS publicity continues to be largely responsible for our guest recruitment success. We also strengthened our networks by participation in the various PALS planning sessions to which we are invited.

We sincerely thank Monash Council for continuing our annual grant. We have also taken advantage of the Council offer of free usage of a Community Bus for our outings. During 2018 we also had a “write up” with photographs in the local press.

Final Comments

May I take this opportunity to thank all those who have supported, encouraged and guided me during my time as Chairperson, in particular the Committee members and Bev, Bobbie, Evelyn and Jane who contribute to the Management without actual Committee Membership. I would also like to thank Heather Hon, office manager, who gave Leisure Time both practical help and wise advice.

It is a great privilege and pleasure to serve our community’s seniors with love and care and hospitality. Whilst this is my final meeting as Chairperson, I hope to continue my association as Treasurer. We pray for God’s continued wisdom and blessing on our labour of love at Leisure Time. We also pray for each of our guests and volunteers – may they know God’s presence and strength with them each day.

CliffBaker, Leisure Time Interim Chairperson, April 2019

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LeisureTimeFinancials.pdf LeisureTimeFinancialsNotes.pdf