Gifts of Joy for Residents Without Family or Loved Ones

Royal Freemasons are running their Christmas Gift Appeal again this year for socially isolated residents.

Through different circumstances, a significant number of people in aged care find themselves with no one in their lives to visit them, no family or long-known friends to surround them with love at Christmas time.

Royal Freemasons staff do an exceptional job of making sure these residents feel special and cared for during the festive season,but they want to go the extra mile again this year and buy beautiful, personalised gifts just for them.

Thanks to many generous donors, more than 60 people in their care were delighted to receive a thoughtful, individualised gift in last year’s appeal. Many were moved to tears by this simple yet meaningful gesture.

Vanco was among them.

Emigrating from Macedonia in the 1970s, Vanco grew further and further apart from his family, eventually losing contact with them completely.

“I’ve forgotten about my family,” says Vanco. “The last time I saw my sister was in 1980. Since coming to Australia, I have lost contact with them all.”

Moving to different states with his job, Vanco also found it hard to find a place to call home and make meaningful, long-lasting connections.

“I found new friendships at each place but no one to marry and spend my life with,” he says.

Vanco has been part of Royal Freemasons’ aged care community for many years now and spends each Christmas surrounded by our caring staff and fellow residents at their Mount Martha Valley site, which he now calls home.

But last Christmas was one to remember. A lover of horse racing and chocolate, Vanco was simply lost for words when he received his gift from last year’s appeal.

Royal Freemasons Lifestyle Coordinator, Kim, says “When we gave Vanco his gift he had tears in his eyes and said, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!’ He was so grateful and overwhelmed; he thanked us about ten times.”

Royal Freemasons CEO Hugh Cattermole says, “There are a significant number of people in our care who no longer have family or close friends, and Christmas can be a particularly challenging time for them. We always make a special effort to ensure they feel supported and loved by their Royal Freemasons family during the festive season, and the Christmas Gift Appeal is a vital part of that effort, enabling us to purchase generous, thoughtful gifts, just for them.”

If you would like to donate to Royal Freemasons’ Christmas Gift Appeal, please click here.

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