Centre still healthy, 25 years on
THE Tarwin Lower and District Community Health Centre celebrated 25 years since its opening on Saturday.
Around 50 people, including many past committee of management members, turned out for the event which included the unveiling of a new sign and the burying of a time capsule.
The new sign was funded by a grant from South Gippsland Shire Council.
Committee vice president Dot Kennedy said the anniversary was celebrated to reflect on how it was established.
“The whole process started in 1984 but it took seven years to get the centre off the ground, which finally occurred in September 1991,” she said.
“It took a lot of hard work, commitment, enthusiasm and drive from the local community.”
Ms Kennedy said the community’s hard work and commitment was celebrated on Saturday.
“We also wanted to show people the centre is still going well, is well utilised and has a strong future,” she said.
Clinical psychologist and committee member Debbie Birkett put together a history booklet for the celebration, which Ms Kennedy said could not have been done without the minutes of former secretary David Marsh.
“The health centre now comes under the auspice of Gippsland Southern Health and we try to make sure what we offer is what locals want,” she said.
“Our committee manages the centre at a local level and there are a number of volunteers that assist with the day to day activities, as well as a number of health practitioners who operate out of the centre as well.”
The celebration on Saturday also saw Tim Burggraaff and Terry Teylor awarded with life memberships.
“Tim, along with the late Jim Cope, was instrumental in lobbying the council to buy the land the centre sits on. He was also the builder of the place,” Ms Kennedy said.
“Terry was on the committee for a number of years in more recent times and worked very hard.”
The time capsule, which will be lifted on the centre’s 50th anniversary, contained the history booklet, some photos, a copy of The Star, as well as a DVD and other historical items.
Founders keepers: some of the Tarwin Lower and District Community Health Centre’s founding committee members were at the event to celebrate its 25th anniversary on Saturday, including from left, David Marsh, Bron Ellen, Pamela Mercer, Jan Box, Nola Marsh, Tim Burggraaff, Una van Dillen, Bill van Dillen, Laura Barker and Alan Rose.
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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Oct 11 2016. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
