Home // Rockdale .Com Services

- Newsletter -

>>>>December 2004 >>>Volume 1 Issue 8 >>What's new at RCSI? - The Church next door to the Rockdale office is undergoing some major renovations. This is creating some parking issues so please be patient if you need to attend the centre. - The AGM this year was a success. Attendance was great and everyone enjoyed the poetry reading and lucky door prizes. We welcome back to the Management Committee Chris Spackman, Romayne Page, Cheryl Kelly, Robin Wirth, Charlie Cutajar and Bill Godfrey and thank them for their hard work and commitment to the organization. A big welcome also goes out to Catherine Paull who has joined the Committee. We hope her association with the organization will be a long and happy one. - Staff attended the Multicultural Information Day at Rockdale Town Hall. This day is always a fun event and a great opportunity to provide information about services to our diverse community. - Taxhelp has now finished with 24 people seeking tax assistance this year. Thanks to Margaret Barret for her time and energy as well as patience with our lack of available phones. - An information stall was held at Rockdale Plaza on the 18th. We are hoping to run this activity on an annual basis. - Volunteers and staff have been invited to the Ritz Hotel in Hurstville for an end of year lunch. Everyone is looking forward to a great day. Thanks to the Ritz and Louise Bowden for the ongoing support of the Saturday Concert and the organization. >>Summer is Here! Time to - - Dig out the swimmers - Dust of the fan - Enjoy an early morning swim or late afternoon walk - Light the citronella - Collect cicada shells - Get use to bad T.V - Fire up the BBQ - Slap on the sunscreen and whack on a hat - Unplug the heater - Start the chrissy shopping - Watch the Cricket - Take a vacation - Enjoy the Sydney Harbour - Mow the lawn, over and over and over >>Service Updates St George Easy Care Gardening - Easy Care Gardening and the Lawn Mowing Service are extremely busy as the warm weather keeps those gardens growing. The volunteers have been provided with training on skin cancer protection and a BBQ. A lunch will be held for all ECG volunteers on the 7th of December as well as the lunch at the Ritz Hotel on the 27th of November. Neighbour Aid - the new bus outing has been filled and has a waiting list already!! A special outing has been arranged into the city to see the Christmas lights and for a light supper. We hope those attending enjoy. Our volunteer Alma Alewood is retiring from volunteering after 30 years with the organization. What an amazing contribution to the community. Thanks Alma, you will be missed. Respite - Respite is very busy in the lead up to Christmas. All staff have attended supervision with the Respite Coordinator. The Home Support service has so far been unsuccessful in securing ongoing funding to continue operation and so we are currently attempting to refer clients over to ongoing services. Well done to all the staff who have contributed to this pilot project. Two years of service delivery on limited funds has made a difference in the lives of many people in our community. Neighbourhood Centre - Tax Help has now finished and the Art for Seniors has also been completed. Thanks to Frances the Art Teacher for her energy and commitment and to all the students who did such fantastic work. A big thanks to all of the RCSI staff for their hard work and commitment. >>Christmas Closures Neighbour Aid. The Neighbourhood Centre and Easy Care Gardening will be closed from the 22nd of December until the 10th of January. The Respite Service will continue to operate over the Christmas period. Please call 9556 1822 or 9567 0988 if you have any concerns during this time. Policy Update Accidental Breakage Rockdale Community Services Inc aims to ensure that all care will be taken by staff and volunteers while providing services either within the home or in the garden environment. RCSI recognises that due to the nature of work carried out by the organisation that accidental breakage of client items may occur. RCSI will attempt to ensure that if the request is reasonable and can be shown to be the fault of the RCSI staff or volunteers, reimbursement for accidental breakage can be negotiated. Please read the attached Draft Policy for further details. >>Information on Cerebral Palsy - C.P is a physical disability that affects movement - It is estimated that every 18 hours a child is born in Aust with C.P - It is the most common form of physical disability in children - The severity differs greatly between individuals - C.P is caused by damage to the developing brain before, during or just after birth - There is no known cure or pre birth test - Except in its mildest forms C.P can be seen in the first 12 to 18 months of life - International Day of People with a Disability - 3rd of December 2004 >>Management Committee Needs YOU! Are YOU ready to make a difference in your community? Why not become a member of Rockdale Community services Management Committee? The committee meets once a month for approximately 2.5 hours. Morning tea is provided as well as stimulating conversation, decision making and good company. The Management Committee ensures the efficient running of the organization by supporting the Centre Manager. Training and orientation is provided as well as support when required. So if you can spare some of your time and expertise please contact Rebecca on 9556 1822 for more information Get involved!! >>Getting to know you? This time we speak with Romayne, a valued member of our Management Committee. Q. What do you like about being part of Rockdale Community Services team? A: The variety of work and the challenges that community based services face and looking at solutions for those challenges Q. What would you do if you had a million dollars? A: I would go back to Uni and become a psychologist, take a long vacation, pay off my mortgage, buy a new wardrobe including shoes and give the rest away. Q. What do you do in your spare time? A: I don't have any spare time. I run a ten acre property in Wollongong and there is always something to do on the farm with jack and Jill my two dogs. Q. Who would you like to invite to dinner and why? A: Van Gogh because I find his paintings fasinating and Im sure that he had a troubled past as indicated by his paintings and I would like to investigate this further. I would also like to see if he has prosthesis for his ear. I would also invite Cat Stevens as he had a successful career that touched many hearts and yet he has taken himself out of the limelight to embrace his beliefs. I would enjoy finding out more about this as his music was such a part of my life in the 70's. Thanks Romayne for letting us get to know you that little bit better. Cat Stevens and Van Gogh could sing Starry Starry Night together to end the evening. >>To all the clients and volunteers of Rockdale Community Services Inc. Have a safe and happy holiday season and we look forward to working with you next year. Merry Christmas Everyone