Club News Round-up: LAC Balwyn

Before Covid-19 we presented varied activities including bus trips to Marysville, Bendigo Art Gallery, Tarrawarra Art Gallery, Lambley Gardens, Warratina Lavender Farm and concluded the year with a club funded Christmas picnic and surprise bus trip to Maroondah Reservoir followed by a last minute Christmas shop in Healesville.

Our annual long-distance bus trip for 2019 transported one third of our club members to view the Hunter Valley Christmas Garden Display. A sight to behold, to say nothing of the evening display with over 4 million lights illuminating the entire scene. This trip was 8 days, all in parallel with bushfire alerts and smoke hazards.

Come Christmas and the usual busy end of year, we provided a special club funded afternoon tea and were entertained by a local choir.
Our first meeting in February was well attended in our new venue at North Balwyn Uniting Church, an easily accessed and very well appointed ‘home’ for our bimonthly meetings. An excellent team of speakers from Epworth Hospital spoke about the various aspects of memory loss and the measures they are taking with research to recognise, assist and improve outcomes for many people.

What followed? Shutdown, cancellations and disappointment! We devised, with the assistance of Irene, our club IT person, to set up a telephone tree to keep in regular touch with members. This has provided a much-appreciated network of successful support.

By Carol Koswig, Past LACVI Board Member

Surprise Christmas Bus Trip

Hunter Valley Gardens at night