Tonight’s AGM – PCAC’s progression

TURN up to the annual general meeting of Prom Country Aged Care (PCAC) tonight, Wednesday November 17 starting at 7.30pm at Foster Football Club rooms, and learn about the positive future for the organisation after a somewhat rollercoaster ride during the last 12 months.

PCAC Acting Chair Sandy Bucello is anticipating being able to make announcements before Christmas about both finalisation of an agreement with South Gippsland Hospital on land for the new 60-bed aged care facility at Foster, and the appointment of a project manager with aged care facility experience to get the ball rolling on finalising the design and organising contracts for the building works.

Employment of a project manager has been made possible by a variation negotiated with the Federal Department of Health and Ageing to release some of the facility’s grant funding for this purpose.

“We have done the interviews and selected a company and now we are just waiting on the Department’s approval for confirmation,” Ms Bucello commented.

Then early in 2011, Ms Bucello expects PCAC to launch an innovative fund-raising strategy designed to draw in significant funds in both the short term (two to five years with a target of $2.7 million) and long term (10 to 15 years).

“We will be widening the sources well beyond the traditional fund-raising base and also be aiming to draw in money from outside of our local economy,” she explained.

“Chaired by Julie Need, our Fund-raising sub-committee is developing some really exciting ideas for approval by the PCAC Board.

“Further suggestions and support from the community would be welcomed.”

She clarified that the fund-raising sub-committee would not be doubling up on the excellent work already carried out by the Banksia Lodge and Prom View Lodge Auxiliaries.

While Ms Bucello described the past year’s financial results as “challenging”, she said PCAC had instituted some efficiency measures and these had lifted the end of year result.

She fulsomely praised both the individual and team work of Board members all of whom are volunteers, and looked forward to the Board’s three vacancies – left by the departure during the year of Rob Knight, Terry Parks and David Roberts – being filled at the AGM so that the workload could be shared more broadly.

“I also can’t say enough about the value of all of our volunteers, from people who turn up and massage residents’ hands to volunteer drivers and those who make donations, as every little thing helps with the running of the organisation and gets us across the line.”

Ms Bucello is keen for the community to be engaged in the new aged care facility and in decisions that are yet to be made about the future use of Prom View Lodge, so welcomes interest and attendance at this evening’s annual general meeting.

Comments are closed.