Cooroy-Pomona Sub Branch is a middle size Sub Branch by both District and State standards. We had 265 members at the end of last year.
Our welfare week starts off on Monday mornings around 0930 hours when two welfare officers start making phone calls to about 45 veterans and widows on our calling list to check on their welfare and have a short chat.
About 1100 hours on Mondays the welfare team meets and gets a report from those who make the phone calls and any action needed and to plan any assistance. That afternoon we have visits to Eden Rehabilitation Hospital and Kabara Aged Care and Nursing Home. At Eden our welfare officers assist any veterans who are in residence and who come from many areas of the State to see if they need any assistance from DVA or their local Sub Branch when they return home.
We have Welfare Officers available to offer.
The Sub Branch has two vehicles. One, an 11 passenger Toyota Hiace from DVA grant in 2013, and a Kia Carnival, 7 passengers, that was a gift from a service widow. With the two vehicles we do medical runs on Monday to Friday using volunteer drivers. Specialist appointments are now generally at the new Sunshine Coast University Hospital which means a round trip of about 3 hours.
We have a shopping trip for up to eleven people each Wednesday to either Gympie, Noosa Civic, Kawana Shopping World or Sunshine Plazza and we have local shopping grocery runs to Cooroy on Thursdays.
On the first Wednesday in the month we bring veterans and widows to the club for morning tea and entertainment and every second month we have an excursion out of town to a museum, boat cruise or something of interest. We provide morning tea, the entry fee and lunch in a club and charge $10 per head. A lot of travel with the buses helps to reduce social isolation for those that cannot drive.
In June we hold a Widow and Widower’s Luncheon in the club with each person receiving a small gift. We have a guest speaker and light entertainment.
We conduct Poppy Services when requested.
A raffle in the club every Thursday night. We also receive a donation from the Cooroy RSL and Citizens Club, which is used to fund welfare projects within the community.