On the hunt for hospital funds

WITH remaining upgrades for Creswick’s health service yet to be funded, a community committee has been formed to help fill in the shortfall made from the lack of supplies.

The team’s long-term goal will be to raise $150,000 by September for stage four redevelopment works at Central Highlands Rural Health’s Creswick Hospital and Residential Aged Care facility.

The hospital’s former president Bob Orr is serving as chair of the group, called the Creswick Health Upgrade Appeal committee.

He said the works are integral for the health service’s aged care offerings, which has been operating since 1863.

“The redevelopment so far has taken us from a hospital which has adapted old rooms to act as aged care facility into a situation where we’ve got 30 bedrooms,” he said.

“It’s a pretty big change in what we’ve had in the past. The hospital’s been a mainstay in Creswick for 160 years.

“Stage three completes the development and stage four will bring up the remainder of the hospital to the same quality as the new facility.

“It’s really taking it from the 1980s to the 2020s, from a quiet little country hospital to a very busy hospital and aged care facility welcome in our community.”

The committee’s fundraising appeal launched last week during which members of the Creswick and District Hospital Auxiliary presented the first donation of $5000.

Representatives from the Community Bank Creswick and District also declared they will match donations leading into the committee’s short-term goal of $30,000 by mid-June.

Mr Orr said he has no doubt the team will secure the funds given the community’s support of the hospital in the past.

“We’ve felt very encouraged by the support of the community bank and the knowledge that the Creswick community has always been very supportive of the hospital,” he said.

“The Creswick community provided the hospital 160 years ago.

“In the early 1990s when it was proposed to close the hospital we found $1 million to persuade the State Government to keep it operating.”

In-person donations can be made at Community Bank Creswick and District or at Creswick Health’s Community Health reception or by contacting fundraising manager Kathryn Kosloff on 5321 6555 or [email protected].

The campaign page can be found at fb.me/creswickhealthupgradeappeal.