Rosie Fitzgerald says $30k Masonic Lodge gift is key for Kilkivan aged care

A five-figure cash injection has boosted efforts to bring affordable housing and rental options to Gympie’s west for the region’s elderly population.

Kilkivan aged care campaigner Rosie Fitzgerald said a $30,000 donation by the region’s Masonic Lodge was a “gamechanger” for efforts to improve services west of Gympie.

The fight for better aged care at Kilkivan has been given a welcome boost with the region’s Masonic Lodge donating $30,000 to the cause.

The donation will help drive plans to build aged care accommodation in the region, 50km west of Gympie, a media release from Kilkivan and District Community Care Association Inc president Rosie Fitzgerald said.

Ms Fitzgerald said she was overwhelmed by the size of the donation, describing it as “a game changer”.

“Our organisation knows just how valuable some affordable, accessible rental accommodation would be to the residents of our area, and this will certainly help to get that part of our ambitious, integrated project kickstarted,” she said.

“Only very recently were we trying desperately to find some suitable rental accommodation for a local in their 80s, to no avail.

Kilkivan and District Community Care Association Inc treasurer Lynda Sempf (second from left) and president Rosie Fitzgerald were thrilled to receive a $30,000 donation from Kilkivan Masonic Lodge members (from left) Dennis Parker, Ross Chapman, and Ian Groundwater.

“It’s our dream to attract some affordable housing government funding so we can develop a significant community asset on land purchased by the then-Kilkivan Shire Council.”

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Lodge members Ian Groundwater, Dennis Parker and Ross Chapman were on hand Friday to present Ms Fitzgerald and association treasurer Lynda Sempf with the cheque.

Mrs Sempf said the donation will strengthen what is already being done by a small but hard working team striving to give ageing residents better options.

“They deserve to be able to stay (in the region) – even when they are less than fully independent,” Mrs Sempf said.

The $30,000 donation was one of three gifts by the Masonic Lodge to community groups, including $10,000 to Kilkivan State School's Cattle Club.

The Rise and Shine Project was launched in early 2020 with the goal of improving the ability for the region’s residents to remain in the area later in life.

A March 2022 report painted a grim picture about the challenges faced by ageing residents in Gympie’s western regions due to a lack of health care services.

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The release said a 12-seater bus called the KilkiVAN and local co-ordination of in-home aged care packages, Kilkivan Care, are already underway, but the implementation of accessible, affordable rental accommodation and a community hub building are yet to be done.

The $30,000 donation was one of three donations made by the Lodge.

Another $7000 was gifted to the Kilkivan Bowls Club for an automatic coffee making machine and to replace old original crockery and cutlery, and $10,000 was given to the Kilkivan State School’s Cattle Team to purchase capital items and four led steers.

Originally published as Rosie Fitzgerald says $30k Masonic Lodge gift is key for Kilkivan aged care