Community Gift Strengthens Local Ties with Cohuna Village

Like many of our homes, Cohuna Village in Victoria was built by community hands. Even before its first brick was laid, local groups advocated for its construction, before fundraising and public generosity proved the driving force behind its development. Today, several decades on, this proud tradition of community connection and support continues. 

For nearly as long as Cohuna Village’s doors have been open, its auxiliary group (known as the Village Auxiliary) has been a beacon of support. The group’s long history of local fundraising efforts has helped enhance the home’s shared and personal living spaces, as well as supported residents through the provision of much-needed equipment and care items. 

Sheila Joss is the group’s Vice President, and she says that since the auxiliary has been in operation, its focus has been on improving residents’ quality of life. 

“Our group has a long history of making a difference to residents’ lives, which we’re really proud of,” she says. “Throughout the years, we have engaged the community to raise funds for much-needed items for the home, ranging from things like wheelchairs to lounge chairs and lifters… any equipment that has a positive impact on both residents and staff. 

“We’ve also enjoyed showing our support for residents through our involvement in social events and other initiatives. For example, we love doing something special for them during holidays like Easter and Christmas, and in the past we’ve also supported the home’s social care team with funding for a garden project.”  

Beyond the breadth of its generosity, the Village Auxiliary has another important function: acting as a conduit between Cohuna and its local home. Through the group’s on-the-ground fundraising, it provides the community with an opportunity to become active members of Cohuna Village’s support network. And, on the flipside, the group’s fundraising activities connect residents with the wider region, not just through in-person activities and events but thanks to the knowledge that there are others living locally who want to make a positive difference to their lives. 

This was recently the case via a very special donation from the Village Auxiliary – 20 brand-new smart TVs ready to be installed around the home’s many shared spaces, as well as private rooms, for current and future residents. 

Already the feedback from residents, as well as their loved ones, has been extraordinary. Residents have enjoyed engaging with a wider range of national and international content and, most importantly, it’s making them feel more connected – with each other through communal viewing as well as the world around them via the programs they watch. They’re also becoming more accustomed to new technology, which many have taken to like a duck to water! 

For Sheila, who herself has managerial experience working in aged care – including previously at Cohuna Village – it’s so pleasing to hear residents’ feedback (also in-person too, thanks to a visit along with other members of the auxiliary, including President Christine Morris). 

“Having worked in aged care for a number of years, any donation that we received to assist residents, especially in terms of quality of life, was really welcomed. To hear that these TVs are bringing such joy to residents’ faces really warms the heart of everyone on the Village Auxiliary,” she says. “A big thank you to everyone across Cohuna who donated and supported us in recent years to make this gift possible.” 

Respect continues to express a great deal of gratitude to all our supporters, fundraisers and volunteers across our communities. To show your support, whether through a donation of time, a financial contribution, or a bequest, visit respect.com.au/donation-and-bequests

Photo credit: Images courtesy of Noel Fisher and the Koondrook-Barham Bridge newspaper.