IT WAS a week of mixed emotions for senior citizens in Moree, with the funeral of a community stalwart held during a week of celebrations for our elderly.
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Seniors’ Week began Sunday, March 15, with a church service and afternoon tea at Fairview.
Lorraine Bartel, who was on the committee which organised the week, said the service was about a positive take on ageing.
“The week is about celebrating seniors,” Mrs Bartel said. “Our motto has always been ‘live life’ and so we provide seniors with activities, get them together to talk about things and also to raise awareness in the general public about what they do and what have done in their lives.
“So it was nice to start off the week in a light-hearted manner.”
Dozens of people attended the service, including many who were not Fairview residents.
The following day a large crowd of both Aboriginal and non-indigenous people turned out at Pius-X for bingo.
“We had a lovely morning tea with everything from sandwiches to scones and cakes,” Mrs Bartel said. “They had meat trays and fruit trays as prizes and there were about ten or twelve games of bingo, so there were a lot of winners.”
On Tuesday, the Moree library displayed its large-print and audio material, but many seniors could not attend because of a funeral for Edna Hardman.
A community stalwart, Mrs Hardman would have been involved in the Lions Club for 50 years this year. She was 84-years-old.
“Edna was always a great contributor to the community,” Mrs Bartel said. “She was a great lady and will certainly be missed.”
The Moree and District Services Club continued its long-standing tradition of hosting a luncheon for the Moree Plains Shire Council Senior Citizen of the Year Award on Wednesday.
Around 120 senior citizens enjoyed a two-course meal and entertainment by Irish crooner John McNally.
Zona Moore was award Senior Citizen 2015 for her tireless efforts in creating the Aboriginal Women’s Group and helping to raise money for cancer support and to assist women escaping domestic violence.
Val Baker, Leslie Eyles, Tony Jukes, Jay McNamara and Tony Mitchell were all recognised as finalists for the award.
“All six were very worth candidates,” Mrs Bartel said.
The Respite House hosted another bingo day on Friday with children from the Moree Secondary College providing finger food for lunch and mingling with the seniors.
Saturday’s luncheon event was traditionally held at ‘Rockdale’, home of the late Mrs Hardman. So it was with mixed emotions that Mrs Bartel took on the responsibility which had been her friend’s for more than 20 years.
“It was a bit of a sad occasion, actually, but the Lions Club put on the lunch and we did have a good time,” she said.
The final event of the week, bowls on Saturday, was cancelled due to storms.
“These things happen, we were lucky to get everything else in with the way the weather is these days,” Mrs Bartel said. “We’ll do bowls next year – weather permitting.”
