Grafton Senior Citizens recently held a committee meeting, the first for three months, and the first since our AGM.
Bereavements in this time were noted.
Correspondence in included: a statement from Westlawn Finance; the change of address from a member; a thank you card following a bereavement.
Correspondence out included: letters to retired committee as thanks for service; a letter to a guest speaker; letters concerning public risk insurance; get well and sympathy cards.
The treasurer then read a finance statement.
Day coach trips for March and May were cancelled, and all regular activities have been in recess since late March.
Advice was received that the tour by Irish ballad singer, Daniel O’Donnell in 2020 has been cancelled, so the planned trip to his show will not proceed.
The meeting determined that due to physical distancing (meaning only 12 can be taken on a coach) the June day trip, and the eight day August tour to Queensland will be cancelled for this year, and rebooked for the equivalent period next year. The pie and pea day, and barbecues were also all cancelled.
Discussion took place on newspapers, the CV Independent and Daily Examiner going online, and the difficulty this poses for Seniors publicity, as well as general local news, as many do not have internet access.
The meeting noted emails from Clarence Valley Council, early in the shutdown, advising that if we were not using our room during the COVID-19 shut down, we should repay the grant we received the previous July to cover our rent.
This was disappointing, at a time when our members, all in the vulnerable group for the virus, were concentrating on survival, and did not need other worries.
As it turned out, the grant was only $1500, and would have expired well before the shut-down. In the end, we continue to pay rent to retain our room, and for the safe keeping of our assets.
Discussion took place on the possibility of resuming regular activities, but it was determined to wait and see if winter caused any second wave of COVID 19.
A further committee meeting will be held on August 4, with a view to resuming activities late August or early September.
Editor’s note: Happy days for all and the members of Grafton Senior Citizens can rest assured the CV Independent will continue to publish their very welcome news (and in printed form) into the future.
Sandra Connelly