Independent Living

Glenview Close is a group of two bedroom units with river and district views.

If you are considering downsizing or having a change of scenery now that you’ve retired, come and have a tour.

To see if the Glenview Close community is for you, visit glenview.org.au/ independent-living

Rotary members play Santa

UNFORTUNATELY, not everybody is lucky enough to experience the thrill of opening gifts on Christmas morning.

But thanks to the Claremont Rotary Club’s Christmas Box Project, there was presents under the tree this Christmas for many Claremont residents who might have otherwise missed out.

There are four aged care facilities in the Claremont area, and many residents no longer have close friends or family members to visit them.

This can hit particularly hard at Christmas, when those people have nobody to provide them with gifts.

In early November each year, Claremont Rotary Club member Greg Saunders works with Care Program facilitators at Abbeyfield House, Strathaven, Strathglen and The Gardens to identify aged care residents who would benefit from receiving a Rotary gift box.

Those residents are asked what they would like, with requests varying from cosmetics and chocolates to calendars, colouring books and crocheting materials.

Rotary Club members, families and friends then choose one or more recipients they would like to provide for, and set about sourcing the gifts.

In the week before Christmas, Rotary Club members distribute the boxes to the aged care facilities, ready for Santa to hand out on Christmas Day.

“We don’t do this for publicity - we do it for the happiness and joy that we can provide to people at this time of you,” Greg said.

“Hopefully there will be other clubs and organisations that read this article and recognise that they too can provide someone with the joy of opening a gift on Christmas Day.”