LMVA Annual Report 2020
A Message from the Treasurer
We started the 2019/20 year with much enthusiasm as our finances were in the Black so to speak and the future looked promising. We received much needed financial support from our major partners, the Hospital Research Foundation and the Hospital management.
Then in February/March 2020, we witnessed the spread of COVD-19 throughout the world including Australia. In order of health and safety, we closed our Thrifty V stores and our Market Stall in the Lyell McEwin Hospital. We were notified that Bunnings BBQ fundraisers were cancelled till further notice. Our administration offices were then taken over by the Hospital to house the COVID-19 Testing Clinic. Our Lyell Mcewin Hospital Gift Shop sales plummeted due to restricted numbers visiting the Hospital and the closure for the last quarter of the year. We went from “not too bad” financially to “really bad” as far as our fundraising was concerned. In reality we had to restructure ourselves to try and deal with the challenges ahead.
In all we were displaced and understaffed. Our fundraising had diminished severely. Due to Covid-19 we could not sell any raffle tickets after the shut down in late March. The Association was involved in the Community Lottery but as expected our sales were down. Sales flattened in 2019/20 for entertainment books.
The Lyell McEwin Volunteers once again held “present wrapping” at the Elizabeth Shopping Centre. Due to Covid-19 the Mother’s day wrapping did not proceed. We were recently advised by the Elizabeth City Centre Christmas Wrapping will not be going ahead due to Covid-19 restrictions. Due to the renovations at Modbury Hospital the ability to hold BBQ’s became restricted. The Covid 19 restrictions in the last quarter of the financial year shut down the BBQ team for over 3 months. The Volunteers of the TV Trolley continued their hard work distributing TV Vouchers and Newspapers to patients within the Lyell McEwin Hospital to both private and public patients until Covid-19 shut them down.
Vending Machine income for the 2019/20 Financial Year continued to be strong and grow. A large reason for the growth is that the CEO has renegotiated new contracts with the vending machine suppliers and installed new vending machines at Lyell McEwin Hospital.
I would like to thank the CEO and the staff for working in a difficult environment and still working diligently under pressure to maintain an effective and professional Volunteer Association. I salute and thank all the Volunteers that have worked through a difficult period during this pandemic. A special mention must go to the volunteers who create items for sale in our Market Stall and last but not least the volunteers who assisted with BBQ’s in 2019/20. I wish to thank the Board members for their support and commitment to the Association.
Yours in service,
Peter Panagaris