Karinya Extensions

KARINYA FETE & BLESSING OF EXTENSIONS

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On a very warm spring Sunday, 20^th October 2013, Corowa was once more gifted with a remarkable addition to its already extensive facilities for the aged.

Not only does the town have the Corowa Hospital Nursing Home, providing excellent rooms and beds for approximately 40 residents, and not only is there “Karinya” with its present accommodation for 60 persons in independent living, low care and high care facilities, Corowa now can boast a further brand new $4million 24-bed extension to the Southern Cross Karinya Apartments.

The new ‘E’ wing (yet to be formally named) is a beautiful state-of-the-art aged care facility that is well-appointed, spacious, and welcoming.

The Ceremony of Blessing and Opening took place at mid-day during the annual Karinya Fete. Numerous friends, supporters, and relatives of Karinya residents – along with many of the residents themselves – joined the celebration.

The fete is an important way in which locals can express their support for the facility and on this day a couple of hundred passed through the corridors and spent generously for the cause. As with so many fetes there is a variety of goods: wonderful homemade cakes, cookies, scones, biscuits; there are pot plants galore for the gardeners in spring; there are a multitude of second-hand books; knick-knacks, art and craft work are also available and, for the children, ‘face-painting’ at a small price.

Naturally, one of the favourite stops is the Morning Tea/Coffee where $5 will provide you with a reviver and as many cakes or scones or other delicacies as you can fit on your plate – and in your mouth!

The atmosphere during the fete, which is confined to the main hallway and the public areas, is one of festival celebration with laughter and loud and happy conversations going on all around. The local Karinya residents are encouraged to join in – and many do so – while others prefer to escape the invasion of outsiders by retiring to the quiet of their own rooms.

At 12 o’clock, Mrs Mary Milthorpe, on behalf of the Karinya Management Committee, welcomed the distinguished guests and members of the public; she rightly noted that it is a day on which all Corowa residents can rightly be proud of this further achievement. She also welcomed Mrs Gwen Tait and Mrs Peg Hanrahan who would soon be asked to ‘cut the ribbon’ to formally declare the building open.

Mary then introduced Mr Paul McMahon, the CEO of Southern Cross Homes NSW & ACT. Mr McMahon congratulated the local Committee and all the supporters of Karinya that such a magnificent new milestone had been reached. He said that the whole Karinya complex now can accommodate up to 84 persons at various stages of aged care. He said it is a facility that surely makes it the envy of many a similar sized town throughout Australia. Southern Cross Homes, he said, is an organization responsible for many such aged care facilities across the state and in the ACT.

Mr McMahon then welcomed the members of the Ministers Fraternal, Father Paul Hart, Rev. Rex Everitt, and Rev. Tom Wall, and thanked them for making themselves available to bless the extensions.

The prayers of blessing were then read and holy water sprinkled throughout the extensions.

After the prayers, the two senior members acting on behalf of the Committee – Mrs Tait and Mrs Hanrahan were led to the ribbon. Without further ado they cut the ribbon to a great round of applause and the public made their way into the extensions to have a ‘first look’ at the finished, but not yet fully furnished, work.