(An activity of the Balmoral Uniting Parish)
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19 Rogoona
Street, Morningside |
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The philosophy of the Centre is that of Christian Outreach and practical approaches to care and support for people in our community.
It is a philosophy of caring, understanding and treating each person as an individual worthy of respect without regard to race, colour or religion.
Because we are under the banner of the Uniting Church we show that the church cares not only for the spiritual dimension but for the physical needs of security, clothing and food.
All aspects of Centre philosophy can be summed up by stating that Centre people work compassionately to give an awareness that someone cares and that such caring provides for comfort support and hope for the future.
The Balmoral Uniting Community Centre is now a fact; but it was not always so..........
Thoughts of using Rogoona House, 19 Rogoona Street, Morningside, were shared at the meeting of the Morningside All Purpose Committee on 20th. February, 1975.
The extract from the minutes reads as follows...................
"Rogoona House ‘Drop - In Centre’ - Our President ,Mrs. Doris Crocker, Shared a vision she had of making Rogoona House available for an Outreach Centre once a month- 1st. Wednesday -to provide fellowship, cup of tea and counselling for whoever may desire to call. Art classes to be a draw card together with sing -a -longs........."
AND SO THE SEED WAS SOWN
Although the seed was sown it lay dormant until at a Balmoral Uniting Church Family Camp held at Tamborine in 1977 when Mrs. Jenny Gulley Shared her "dream" of the Parish "doing" something to relate to the community, particularly the needs amongst elderly and young mothers.
Jenny pursued her dream through January of 1978 approaching key people of the Parish and the wider community.
At a special Parish Council held at Bulimba on 7th. February, 1978 Jenny enthusiastically presented her "dream" in what may appear to some to have been a very unorthodox manner. She stood tall holding in her hand a rolling pin and proceeded to convey her excitement for her "dream" began to unroll off the rolling pin six metres of paper. This roll of paper contained cuttings from magazines. The pictures graphically conveyed the needs of the elderly and young mothers, together with the resources which would be needed to get her "dream" off the ground.
The Parish Council gave support to the Community Outreach Scheme. Permission was given to embark upon a Pilot Scheme to be based at Rogoona House. The minutes of the Parish Council read as follows -
"Moved Don Dalzell that we express to Jenny our appreciation of the work done and adopt the "dream" and that support be given where we can individually and collectively. Jenny Gulley to be appointed Co-ordinator. Carried."
A donation enabled a phone to be connected to Rogoona House.
-With acknowledgment to Rev. Jan Chalmers from her book ‘A Dream Come True"
1997...........20 years on........
The Balmoral Uniting Community Centre is a non profit organisation funded by the Home And Community Care program and fund raising efforts.
The centre works towards helping to reduce isolation in the community generally and has a focus on frail and disabled people.
Groups are run both at the centre and within the community and we try to be flexible and always open to feedback from clients and others.
Some of our groups are specifically for HACC eligible people, for example the physiotherapy support groups, but we encourage involvement from a broader range of people for many of our other groups.
If you have any suggestions for ideas or changes that would help us to achieve our objective of a stronger sense of community in the area, please feel free to discuss them with us.
For further information on the Uniting Church and its
welfare services, contact
Uniting Church Community Services
Uniting Church Child and Family Care
Uniting Church in Australia
Desinged & Composed by Nigel Peace
Last Updated: 4 January 1998