NVC Group celebrate 50 years with gala dinner Nambucca Valley Nambucca Valley - popup ad Nambucca Valley News Photo Gallery by News Of The Area - Modern Media - September 29, 2024 Fijian staff from Autumn Lodge sang and danced at the NVC Group Gala Dinner. FIFTY years of caring for the elderly was celebrated in style on Saturday night at NVC Group’s 50th anniversary Gala Dinner at the Macksville Ex-Services Club. It was a lively event featuring awards for some of the organisation’s key contributors over the decades, entertainment and a charity auction. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au Organisers said that those in attendance gave generously and more than $6000 was raised in the auction, while over $1000 worth of raffle tickets were purchased on the night. Funds raised from the event will be spent on improving outdoor spaces for residents at the group’s three aged-care facilities. Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan praised Nambucca Valley Care for their efforts over the past 50 years in his speech to the 150-strong audience. “For many aged care businesses, the residents are little more than a number but that has never been the case for Nambucca Valley Care,” he said. “At NVC our elderly are treated with dignity and that is so important.” “We have an obligation to not just ‘care for them’ but to ‘care for them well’ because they (the elderly) built our country,” he said. From a small volunteer-run organisation which began in 1974, today NVC Group employs more than 430 people and is second only to the Nambucca Valley Council as the top employer in the area. “We just don’t know what aged care will look like in the future,” said Janine Reed, NVC Group Chairperson. “Currently the provision of aged care in aged care facilities is very costly and although we NVC had always planned for the tsunami we saw coming, it is much more severe than we ever imagined,” she said. Recent legislation changes, along with staff shortages have contributed to this, she explained. “It is no secret that many aged care places have closed and continue to close. “Others are taken over by larger corporations and it is always the larger organisations receiving grants,” she said, describing the conditions under which NVC has struggled to remain a community-owned and operated organisation providing quality aged care in the region. Today the organisation offers round the clock aged care at three locations, Macksville, Nambucca Heads and Kempsey, as well as lifestyle, home and community care and education services. By Ned COWIE Retired board member Brian Irvine, Kathy Knox, Denis Sweet, Colleen Ward, board member Murray Sainsbury, board member John O’Neill and chairperson Janine Reed cut the cake to celebrate NVC Group’s 50th anniversary. Robin, Chris, Alyce, Heidi, Angelo, Jeannette and Lynne enjoying the gala event last Saturday evening. Alison, Brook, Anna, Gary, Reuben, Rachael and Chris. Darren, Brook, Tania, Lauren, Wilson, Joanne and Joane at the Gala Dinner Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan (right) with Appreciation Award recipients (L-R) Denis Sweet, Colleen Ward and Kathy Knox.
