Stratford’s Maryann Home the winner when local Lions clubs work together

From left, Michael Walsh, Andrew Gibson, Judy Barr, Colleen Moore, Rex Hodgetts and Peter McDonald outside the building site at Maryann. Photo / Ilona Hanne

“Good things happen when you get so many good people and groups working together.”

Peter McDonald, chairman of AgeCare Central, says a recent fundraising event was “an incredible success” thanks to the teamwork of four local Lions groups.

Members of the Stratford, Toko, Eltham and Kaponga Lions clubs worked together last month to put on the Grass Roots to World Stage event at the Stratford and Eltham Rugby Club, raising funds for the Maryann Residential Care Home and Hospital extension work currently under way.

The facility is owned and operated by charitable organisation AgeCare Central “on behalf of the Stratford community”, says Peter.

“So when the community then comes together like this, it’s really quite special. It really is about looking after our community for years to come.”

The fundraising event was sold out within days, says Colleen Moore, president of the Stratford Lions Club.

“We had all these posters ready to put up in businesses around town advertising the evening, but we never actually needed to put them up, because tickets sold out so quickly.”

Peter says he wasn’t surprised tickets went so quickly.

“The clubs had organised such a great line-up of speakers, with Mike Sandle, Robyn Barrett, and Colin Cooper the perfect combination of speakers, and each speaker nicely complemented the next one.”

Andrew Gibson, president of the Kaponga Lions Club, says the club were “only too happy to help”.

“There is no doubt it’s a great cause, a great community project, and it was something we could all support.”

That sentiment is echoed by Judy Barr, treasurer of the Eltham Lions Club.

“It’s an important facility for the community, and so many of us have links to it in some way, or may want to use it in the future. We were happy to be asked to get involved, and really pleased with the success of the night.”

Rex Hodgetts, president of the Toko and District Lions Club, says when the Stratford Lions asked the Toko Lions to get involved, “it was an easy yes”.

“It’s a great cause and the idea of the event itself was good. It was something people would enjoy.”

People certainly enjoyed the event, judging by the money raised on the night.

A total of $17,706.20 was raised through ticket sales, auctions and raffles, says Colleen.

“We set out to raise $12,000, and applied to the Lloyd Morgan Lions Clubs Charitable Trust for another $12,000, which they granted.”

As well as the generous support from the Lloyd Morgan Trust, a lot of local sponsors got involved to help make the night so successful, she says.

Michael Walsh, who as well as being the director of AgeCare Central is also the project manager for the building project, says that $12,000 plus the money raised by the four clubs on the night is enough to cover the cost of fitting out three rooms in the new wing.

“That includes bedding, furniture, even hoists. Everything needed to make the rooms comfortable.”

Colleen says while it’s the first time the four clubs have worked together on a fundraiser like this one, it is unlikely to be the last.

“It really shows just what can be achieved when we work together like this, so I think it is definitely something we would look at doing again.”