Latrobe Valley Village volunteers rewarded

Care: Latrobe Valley Village was awarded $100,000 in the State Budget. Photograph supplied

ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC

By ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC

IN this year’s budget, the state government announced that Moe’s Latrobe Valley Village would receive $100,000 in state funding for its volunteer program.

Latrobe Valley Village (LVV) is a non-profit community-based organisation that provides quality aged care, accommodation and services to people who require assistance. As a non-profit charitable organisation, the LVV is community-owned and puts people before profits.

LVV chief executive Alison Skeldon was delighted at news of the funding.

“Well, obviously we’re very grateful for the acknowledgement particularly being a longstanding local organisation well supported by the community. It’s fantastic to have the work of our volunteers acknowledged,” she said.

“The board of governance is voluntary, and so we have some great community-minded volunteers who really have the Moe/Newborough area in their hearts. They offer their services across the community to support community organisations and projects.

“I think the fact that we have retained the not-for-profit stand-alone, independent status, I think that’s something that’s appealing to the community because I guess the roots of the organisation are and continue to be in the local area.”

Ms Skeldon was eager to thank the many volunteers that help the LVV operate.

“[Volunteers] are critical; we have over 20 volunteers, my understanding is that pre-COVID we had many more but of course, like many organisations, the pandemic restrictions meant that some people had to curtail their volunteer activities,” she said.

The volunteers at LVV give it its community-based title as a place that cares.

“They (the volunteers) come in, and they visit residents, they help us with our coffee shop, they deliver craft items that they make to sell on our fundraising table, they offer spiritual support and social connections for residents, and they offer advocacy services, and that’s really important because our staff are employed to deliver the medical and care services, but the volunteers just provide that extra level of community connection and support.”

Offering 53 independent living units and a 96-bed residential care facility, LVV provides high-quality aged care and accommodation services for the community through an enriched and stimulating environment.

LVV was among three organisations in Gippsland that received funding for their volunteers from the state budget; the others were Olivia’s Place and Garfield Community Shop, which both received $100,000 each.

Care: Latrobe Valley Village was awarded $100,000 in the State Budget.
Photograph supplied