The Friends of Hillside Lodge Op Shop is celebrating 21 years of dedicated fundraising for Hillside Lodge, the residential care centre at Korumburra Hospital, operated by Bayside Health.
Founded in 2003 by Anne Millar, the volunteer-run op shop has directed every dollar of its proceeds to capital improvements and comfort upgrades for Hillside Lodge residents.
Anne held the first meeting of Friends of Hillside Lodge on 17 March 2003, with just five members. Her motivation was personal. Anne's mother-in-law had become a Hillside Lodge resident in 2000 and was living with dementia. The care and attentiveness she witnessed from staff shaped the direction Anne wanted the group to take.
"I just wanted to do what I could to support the residents and give back to the Lodge," Anne said.
What began as a car boot sale in June 2003, supported strongly by the local community, grew into bingo nights, wine evenings and silent auctions. The op shop itself opened in May 2006. Since then, proceeds have funded fittings, flooring, a dishwasher and other improvements to the Hillside Lodge Activities Room, with last year's $160,000 contribution funding the installation of a Men's Shed onsite.
Anne continues to manage the op shop as a volunteer. Her son Michael Davies serves as Vice President alongside eight dedicated volunteers. When asked what she is most proud of, Anne pointed not to the fundraising figures but to the community behind them: "The support the community gives us enriches the daily lives of the residents.”
Carol Pontil, Director of Nursing at Korumburra Hospital, said Anne has been volunteering for more than 20 years without ever asking for anything in return.
“The Men's Shed is the most recent example, but the list of what this group has contributed to Hillside Lodge is long. We're just so fortunate to have their support," she said.
The op shop is at 36-40 Commercial Street, Korumburra and is open Monday to Saturday, 9am-3pm.
Bayside Health is fortunate to also be supported by the San Remo Opportunity Shop, which raises funds for Bayside Health’s services in the Bass Coast. The op shop is run by a volunteer auxiliary and is open Monday-Friday, 10am-2.30pm, at 65D Back Beach Road, San Remo. You’ll find clothing, treasures and more.