WAUCHOPE'S generosity was on show in spectacular style on Saturday when more than 200 people attended an open day at Wauchope District Memorial Hospital's new Palliative Care Unit.
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Hospital staff took visitors through the new facility, so they could see for themselves the difference community donations have made to the building's furnishings.
Mid North Coast Local Health District Governing Board Member Neville Parsons, the hospital's Executive Officer/Director of Nursing Ann Bodill and Palliative Care Director Dr Brenton Scheutz were on hand to express their gratitude to a community that has raised more than $112,000 in seven months to help furnish the unit.
Recliner chairs, hand-made quilts, art works, colourful furnishings, comfy beds and even clinical equipment have been purchased from community donations that have overwhelmed hospital staff.
"Our community has responded to this appeal with generosity and the result is we now have a palliative care unit that has been transformed from a clinical environment into a home," Mr Parsons said.
Mrs Bodill said she was "overwhelmed" by the level of support from individual donors, businesses, service clubs and community organisations.
"The list of people who have helped us with this project is too long to read out, but each and every donation has been gratefully received and is very much appreciated," she said.
In true Wauchope fashion, the donations kept coming on Saturday as visitors realised there is still more work to do.
The Rotary Club of Wauchope gave $1000; the proceeds from a recent raffle of outdoor timber furniture made possible thanks to the Hastings Woodworkers Guild, NSW Forests and Australian Solar Timbers.
Former Hastings Mayor and past Wauchope hospital board member Ray Cooper personally donated $200, and a further $800 was handed over on behalf of Wauchope resident Paula Murray.
Mrs Murray celebrated her 90th birthday at the Wauchope Showground hall recently. Instead of birthday presents, family and friends were asked to donate to the Palliative Care Unit appeal.
Her daughter, Maree Carrington, was among Saturday's visitors and proudly handed over the generous donation in her mother's name.
"Mum has always been a generous person. She knits and crochets for all sorts of charity groups around town so when she said 'no presents - donations to palliative care instead', I wasn't at all surprised.
"I think she was also inspired to help out because I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, so she knew exactly where she wanted the money to go."
The Wauchope Hospital Volunteers were also present; not to take a bow for their $50,000 contribution to the community appeal, but to man the barbecues as a way of thanking their supporters.
A donation bucket soon accumulated even more funds, which the volunteers will add to their next contribution to the hospital.
The popular street stall was also relocated to the hospital gardens for the event, again run by the very hard-working volunteers.