A Place To Call Their Own – You Can Help

MANY parents of children with disabilities worry about what will happen when they are no longer able to care for their son or daughter.

At the moment the closest group home for people with disabilities is Newcastle, hours from the community where they have life longer connections, while others have to follow their parents into a nursing home.

Showstoppers Ability Services wants to give people in our community a better option, a group home where they can live independently or semi-independently.

Gypsy Rose Whitby, Sarah Brown, Jill Hamling and Cassie Fisher at the Australia Day ceremony in Scone.

Chelsee Burnett, from Showstoppers said their first step is to raise money for a respite centre and they are holding a ball on Saturday to begin fundraising for the project.

“Showstoppers wants to provide a group home in Scone where there are activities and workshops and we teach them life skills at the Centre to live independently and semi-independently such as budgeting, cooking, how to shop, personal hygiene and things like that,” said Ms Burnett.

“There is lot of expense to set up a group home, like emergency buttons wired in, so we would like to start off as respite first, with two bedrooms and then hopefully either build or find a large residence in Scone that can be converted anywhere from six or more rooms, not including carers,” she said.

“There would be around the clock carers for those who are still living semi-independently but those with a disability will be around people their own age and getting out in the community and could even be working in the community,” Chelsee Burnett said.

Showstoppers Ability Services is holding a fundraising ball on Saturday and encourage people to buy a ticket, or book a table.

The major raffle prize is a package at Devil’s Ark with accommodation for 10 people and a private tour of the park and many smaller prizes including gift certificates from generous local businesses.

There will be live entertainment, canapes and a glass of sparkling on arrival and a two-course meal.

• When: 6pm, Saturday, July 27, 2019.
• Where: Function Centre, Scone Race Club, 434 Bunnan Road, Scone.
• Tickets: $100 each, tables of 6, 8 or 10 available. Online: Ticketor; In Person: Showstoppers Office: 116 Waverley Street, Scone (formerly the Convent).
• Information: Chelsee Burnett: 0409 909 827.