Page 3 - Nov 25

THE ROTARY CLUB
OF
MOOLOOLABA INC,
52nd Year - Volume 52
25 Nov 2024
Website www.mooloolabarotary.org
facebook.com/RotaryMooloolaba
President Ian Barnett

Seniors Christmas Lunch – a long running program
Our Club again hosted the Seniors’ Christmas Lunch. This has been on ongoing project for
th
our club starting back in 1989 when Graham Lukins was the President, making this the 36
time we have hosted the event. Over the years the event has changed. It began as a Christmas
concert with light refreshments for Seniors who were socially isolated.

Suncare then called ‘Central Sunshine Coast Committee on the Ageing’ has been involved
right from the start as the event was held in their Community Hall up to the early 2000’s.
Many of the eligible recipients were recommended by Suncare’s Meals on Wheels program.
The Suncare Community hall was small and not air conditioned so the event was moved to
the new Venue 114 and grew in size each year. Catering wad provided by the Rotary Partners
and some school where we had youth programs provided students to help serve the
refreshments. The involvement of the students was a great innovation and the seniors enjoyed
the presence of the younger people.

As the event continued to grow, transporting the Seniors to and from the venue became both
difficult and costly. Kawana State College through Anne Allen offered to host a smaller
version of the event with their students catering for the event as part of their hospitality
training. Other students in their music program providing the entertainment and so the
present format of the lunch evolved. Suncare agreed to provide the Seniors to attend the
event and transport them to and from the event and so the new format came into being.

Although the Seniors Christmas Lunch is a long running program, it has evolved to meet the
relevant needs of both Seniors and Youth.

Partners helping at Seniors Christmas Party