By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
WIDESPREAD community support has raised more than $100,000 to furnish a new respite care centre for people with disabilities, acquired brain injury or multiple sclerosis.
The community campaign, with the backing of the Independent, was the disability services provider Karingal’s first public donation appeal.
The respite centre, Melaluka in Leopold, will provide more than 1800 nights of respite and around 730 nights of short-term accommodation each year for people with disabilities and their carers who need well-earned breaks.
Karingal Chief Executive Officer Daryl Starkey said the organisation thanked all the generous donors for their support to the Melaluka Appeal through the Karingal Foundation.
“Without the Geelong community’s financial and in-kind support, the construction of the five-bed respite accommodation and two independent living places would not have been possible,” he said.
“We have been absolutely thrilled not only with people’s willingness to dig deep to make this incredible respite accommodation a reality but also to the people and businesses who offered goods and services to the project.”
The $1.95 million building, which Karingal funded with the help of the appeal, is a mix of refurbished and brand new spaces.
The centre features with wide hallways and doorways for people using wheelchairs or other mobility aids as well as accessible bathrooms and bedrooms featuring hoists and other vital equipment.
Mr Starkey thanks the Independent for make the appeal a success.
“The Geelong Independent has been pivotal in getting the word out into the community about the Melaluka Appeal and we appreciate the wonderful stories to raise community awareness for this vital project, which will improve the lives of people with a disability and their families and carers.”
The Independent’s managing editor, Tony Galpin, said the paper was rapt with the campaign result.
“As regional Victoria’s highest-circulating community newspaper by far, the Independent was honoured to help promote such a worthy community initiative. I’d like to thank all our readers and advertisers for helping make the Melaluka fundraiser such an outstanding success.”
