Help with meals in blackout

Meals for Peninsula Village residents were cooked at Woy Woy Aged Care and the Peninsula Leisure Centre when the retirement village was hit by an 18-hour blackout during storms over the Queens Birthday long weekend.

The retirement village's chief executive officer Ms Terri Parker said she was "extremely grateful" for the help.

Ms Parker said her number one priority was to provide a safe and conducive environment for residents.

"Our emergency lighting supply only lasted four hours so this created a multitude of problems in trying to care for the frail aged who require specialised nursing care," Ms Parker said.

"We also needed basics for our residents such as hot water, heating and hot meals."

The staff at the village did their best to provide a meal and drink and provide care to the residents, according to Ms Parker.

A large number of residents were taken home by their families but several frail and extensive care residents remained at the village.

Woy Woy Aged Care and the Peninsula Leisure Centre opened their kitchens to the Peninsula Village allowing them to cook hot meals for their residents.

"This was no mean feat as this meant getting food and staff to the kitchens to cook, and getting the food back to the village still warm," Ms Parker said.

Woy Woy McDonalds provided a hot meal to village staff as they continued to help residents.

Power was restored to the village at 6pm on Sunday.

"I would like to take the opportunity of thanking the staff at Peninsula Village for their outstanding efforts and commitment to the aged residents they care for," Ms Parker said.

"Anyone who has a relative in the village, or planning to, should be grateful and relieved in knowing that the staff who work there have huge hearts and absolute commitment for what they do.

"I would also like to thank Energy Australia and the SES.

"These guys are heroes as far as we are concerned."

Newsletter, 22 Jun 2007 Terri Parker, Peninsula Village