By REBECCA BILLS
ONE Melba house has been working extra hard to raise funds for an additional vehicle to enable more community engagement by house residents.
And they are halfway to their goal of $15,000 and hope to be the proud owners of a new bus by the end of 2014.
Melba Disability Support Worker Kerryn Croke said since last November the group had been raising money for the vehicle that would enable individual support arrangements so a Melba employee could take a resident out for one-on-one activities in the community.
“Often we can’t do that as someone else needs to go to the doctor and there isn’t a vehicle available for others to use,” she said.
“Having the other vehicle means they will be able to form relationships in the community and do things that will enhance their own personal lifestyle.
“It’s to get our residents out into the community and doing things that they want to do to help them lead normal lives.”
Melba Support Services is a not-for-profit organisation that supports people with disabilities to lead independent and everyday lives.
“Melba has eight Community Living Support Services (CLSS) of which we are one and currently we have one bus for people we support and sometimes this makes getting everybody out a bit of a challenge,” Ms Croke said.
Previous fund-raisers they have held included painting and selling personalised Christmas decorations, a chocolate drive and a tin rattle at a major Lilydale intersection.
“Out next fund-raiser will be at Chirnside Park Shopping Centre, outside Priceline Pharmacy, on Saturday 14 June running all day,” Ms Croke said.
“With each donation a sticker will be put on our sign with the hope we can colour in the bus picture.”
