This Christmas will be the 20th year Armidale Regional Council (ARC) staff have given individual gifts to every person on the Uralla-Armidale and Guyra Meals on Wheels rounds, with 200 gifts being delivered in the week leading up to Christmas. Also this year, Council staff are supporting the locally organised charity Santas for Seniors, to create hampers for workers in the aged care facilities over Christmas.
General Manager of Armidale Regional Council (ARC), James Roncon said he is proud of the team for all of their years of charity at Christmas and also the volunteering to deliver Meals on Wheels to Sunnycove retirement village, every Thursday.
"The team have kept this going for 20 years and we're very proud of them. We're on our Restore and Thrive journey, re-building our relationships with the community and living by our values," said James.
"Small gestures can mean so much to people and bring joy into their lives. This year we also wanted to support the aged care staff and put together hampers for those working over Christmas. They've had it tough and deserve to be thanked," said James.
The money for these gifts has all been raised by the staff through weekly raffles and generous donations of food and gifts at the depots, libraries and main offices in Guyra and Armidale. Kerryn Williams, Manager of Uralla-Armidale Meals on Wheels thanks ARC staff for their generosity over many years and thanks them all for their efforts and the regular weekly volunteers.
Anna Gayner, founder of Santas for Seniors in 2016, said their charity gives locals a chance to choose a gift for a senior at one of the local nursing homes, who might not otherwise receive a gift at Christmas. The hampers will go to Kolora Care Guyra and Guyra multi-purpose centre, McMaughs of Uralla, BUPA Armidale, Autumn Lodge and Ken Thompson Lodge.
"We've had a great response again this year with locals shopping for almost 200 residents. People are so generous and it brings so much joy not only to the person receiving the gift but also to those giving," said Anna.
"We're so pleased to have Council staff providing the hampers for the aged care staff this year. Santas for Seniors are delighted to be able to visit the aged care facilities in person to distribute gifts and hampers this year after a hiatus due to COVID restrictions," said Anna.
