General manager Tina Mills and volunteer co-ordinator Frank Malley checking the poster for the Switzer Residential Care fundraising concert at Te Ahu. Photo / Peter Jackson
General manager Tina Mills and volunteer co-ordinator Frank Malley checking the poster for the Switzer Residential Care fundraising concert at Te Ahu. Photo / Peter Jackson
Frank Malley has not been idle since he lost his job at the Northland Age last year thanks to Covid-19. These days he's the volunteer co-ordinator at Kaitaia's old folks' home, Switzer Residential Care, and has become a fundraiser extraordinaire.
He had "plenty in the pipeline," he said last week,but for the moment his focus is totally on a fundraising concert in the atrium at Te Ahu on Sunday August 8.
Jazz and classical music, with guests including the Kaitaia Community Voices choir, will be on the menu, starting at 2.30pm, all proceeds going towards the trust's next major project, the building of a new 30-bed unit at the home, with construction due to begin in October.
Frank said earlier this week that he was keen to hear from anyone who was able to help out at the concert.
"Not only will we need help on the day to run the show, in terms of ushers, serving food and refreshments, including help with preparation of food (be it cakes, sandwiches, bacon and egg pies or whatever), but also in promoting the event by getting the information out there to friends, whānau and the community," he said in a widely circulated email.
"That means encouraging your crew to buy tickets and putting posters up around the place. Please push this event as hard as you can; we really want it to be a success and a sell-out, and you can all help with making that happen."
Once the concert was done and dusted he would organise get-together/morning tea/volunteer muster here at Switzer so everyone could meet each other and begin formulating strategies to continue improving the quality of life for residents and build on what had been achieved so far.
Tickets for the concert are available at www.eventbrite.co.nz, while Frank can be contacted by email at volunteer@switzer.org.nz or malley64nz@hotmail.com, or phone (021) 258-6768.