Adult day care makes 30 years

Ettalong Baptist Adult Daycare recently celebrated its 30th birthday.

The Adult Day Care service was started in 1975.

The group was originally formed as an outreach for the elderly, lonely people in the community and also for those who were recuperating from illness.

This was run by 12 of the church's congregation.

Two of the volunteers, Rima Keetman and Jan Rose, still working for the daycare group.

The centre started with four clients.

By Christmas 1983, the centre had 31 clients and 25 helpers.

The service's volunteers offer beauty treatment for women and haircuts for men.

Others come every month and play piano for a sing-along and dancing.

By 1989 the centre got the use of the Health Commission bus to pick up clients.

The centre currently has 25 clients and 13 volunteers.

Some of the centre's clients come through Baptist Community Services, Flexi care.

They are brought by their carers and taken home in a taxi.

Participants at the centre have had varied outings including picnics to Patonga, Old Sydney Town.

They have seen Oklahoma at Henry Kendall High School, have gone to Woy Woy South school for Grandma's Day, and have gone to Hammond Park to see the horses.

The centres Happy Days newsletter is published every two months.

The Central Coast Area Health Service give the volunteers training.

The clients have made cloth dolls for injured children and now knit and crochet rugs for the homeless.

The group also sponsored a child in Peru.

The current coordinators are Jan Baker and Jan Rose.

Jan Rose won last year's Gosford Council Australia Day award for her service to seniors.

Rina Keetman and Jan Rose have also won Premier's awards.

Press release, May 27 Ettalong Baptist Adult Day Care