News

Day Centre creativity wins Judges Award at the Elmhurst Festival

5th May, 2009

East Grampians Health Service Patricia Hinchey Day Centre's entry ‘Harmony with the Birds' took out the Pacific Hydro Weather Vane Sculpture Competition Judges Award at the Elmhurst Festival and received $500 for their efforts.

The theme for the competition was ‘Sound, Shimmer & Shine' and Day Centre Volunteer Basil Liddle was the instigator in the creative entry that won the judges eye.

Volunteers play a big part of the Day Centres activities. Opportunities like partaking in the Elmhurst Festival and also the Scarecrows at Cellar Door at ‘Off the Beaten Track' Wine & Art Gallery at Buangor as part of the Grampians Grape Escape Festival are just another dimension of the many community activities the staff, volunteers and importantly the people who attend the Day Centre daily get involved in on a regular basis.

The Day Centre is an integral part of East Grampians Health Service and provides companionship, support, recreational and diversional programs in a warm and welcoming environment for aged, people with a disability and isolated members of the community to enjoy social participation. It provides members of the community who attend on a daily basis the opportunity to maintain their social, psychological and physical wellbeing.

At present the Centre caters for over 30 people regularly, with a warm and friendly team of staff together with a loyal band of volunteers making it a ‘place away from home'.

On acknowledging the sculpture competition win, Patricia Hinchey Day Centre Manager Jacinta Harman said: "Being involved in the community is an aim of the Day Centre to get people involved in outdoor activities with our volunteers. Getting recognised in the community is very rewarding. Through the creative talents of volunteer Basil Liddle again the Day Centre has been recognised, and we all thank Basil so much for his initiative.

The $500 prize monies will go to our Patricia Hinchey Auxiliary who are financially assisting with the ongoing development of the outdoor courtyard which collectively the staff, volunteers, auxiliary and the people who attend have been working at for sometime.

All at the Patricia Hinchey Day Centre thank the Elmhurst Festival and Pacific Hydro for making this competition possible, and the prize will certainly be put to good use."