Community
12 July, 2024
Merindah Lodge appeal passes $400,000
THE Camperdown Turf Club became the latest donor to South West Healthcare’s Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal on Wednesday.
The club’s donation of $9200 will be used to complete the furnishing and equipping of one of the facility’s 36 bedrooms.
Appeal manager Suzan Morey said the latest donation has led to the appeal reaching the $400,000 mark.
“We’ve now raised $411,541 which, for an appeal launched just 17 weeks ago, is remarkable,” she said.
“Additional to the Camperdown Turf Club’s generosity, over the past couple of weeks some incredibly generous individuals have also stepped up.
“Many gifts from $50 to $5000 have been received.
“Another $150,000 is still needed before this $562,000 appeal reaches its target.”
Camperdown Turf Club president Anthony Finn said the club was proud to provide funds to Merindah Lodge, saying it is a “vital part of the fabric of Camperdown”.
“My interpretation is that these people have built the foundation for this town,” he said.
“We are acting on the foundation by trying to bring stuff to this town that is something they’re proud of.
“To give something back to the people who built this foundation is just a no-brainer. It’s something that we had no hesitation at the meeting to give money towards, and we will be giving more money towards it.
“It’s just a thing we’ve got to do – it’s going to put Camperdown on the map, and the people in there are just so excited.”
Mr Finn said he was impressed with the progress of the construction.
“To go up there and see a little city within a town - it’s unbelievable how it’s come up. It’s just something that I’m proud of,” he said.
“I’d just like to congratulate Suzan because she is doing a sensational job.
“We’re so proud to be part of such a project for this town.
“Congratulations to the people who have got the foresight to put the money towards this vital thing for the community. I’m so proud of it, and I’m proud to say I’m part of the Camperdown fabric.”
Camperdown Turf Club vice president Rose Henry said the club committee all agreed to make the donation, with club manager Karen Van Kempen part of the team to vote on the donation
“The Camperdown Turf Club are very proud because it forms a community partnership, which is really important when you are in a club,” she said.
“Some of the people that are currently in Merindah Lodge – they were racegoers themselves, so it’s a very exciting project for the town and the whole community.
“Without the backing of Suzie and Janine Dureau-Finn, this project might not have gotten off the ground.
“It’s just fantastic for a small little town like Camperdown.”
Ms Henry said the committee was “proud” to be part of the project.
There’s certainly are lots of people talking about this project because aged care at times is so hard to get into – to have double the size of Merindah Lodge is now,” she said.
“It’s going to be five-star – the views will be spectacular.
“Hopefully this donation we give will spark some others, because even a couple of hundred dollars will add up.”
Eleven bedrooms are left to be funded for equipment and furniture, each room costing $9200.
Other areas the appeal is calling for donations in include a commercial barbecue valued at $3800, a $4000 television for the gym, and $16,000 to fund outdoor furniture and a therapy garden.
“In the meantime the search continues for another 26 people to each donate $97 to – as 24 people have already done – fund the equipping of the hair and nail salon,” Ms Morey said.
South West Healthcare redevelopment and infrastructure executive director Jamie Brennan said construction for the facility has been going “really well”, with the new facility expected to be finished in the last week of June 2025.
“If you’ve driven past and you’ve seen the actual development yourself, you’ll see that it is going up very, very quickly,” he said.
“You’ll see that all the concrete has been laid - we have the concrete slab on the ground floor, and we have the second story slab as well.
“All of the steel framing is going up for each of the different households.
“The furthest back on Robinson Street, away from the hospital, has actually got its roof, windows and builder’s paper going on.”
The household furthest from the hospital will soon become watertight, with the roofs and windows to be installed on the remaining buildings in coming weeks.
Cladding for all the buildings within the new facility is expected to commence in the coming months.
Mr Brennan said progress on the $39.6 million facility has been “exceptional”.
“Nicolson Construction, as a builder, have been excellent, and they are, at this point in time, a couple of weeks ahead of where they had planned to be,” he said.
“That’s been due to good planning by them, but also due to the favourable weather that we’ve had.
“The feedback has been very positive from the residents.
“There’s a number of viewing perches that they can sit at in the garden of the current Merindah Lodge and look through the actual construction hoarding, and they can watch progress”
Mr Brennan expressed his gratitude to the Camperdown Turf Club for its donation to the appeal.
“It’s an exceptional donation – we’re very grateful,” he said.
“These are the donations that allow us to add those finishing touches to the building and give it that home-like feel that the residents deserve.”
