The home that love built at Henty continues to gather support from the community. The Country Women's Association Riverina Group donated $4500 at their group council meeting, which took place in the ARCC Centre on Monday, November 27, to Avondale Place. According to Peter Campbell, a board member of Henty Respite Trust, the donation was the latest from the CWA's support for the facility with the Henty branch raising $1700 via a street stall. Mr Campbell said most of the people assisted were NDIS-partnered but some weren't and the donations would help people who couldn't otherwise afford it. Many hoped the completion of Henty's Avondale Place would turn the tide on the lack of facilities available for respite care in the region. Janet Beverley, a member of CWA's Henty branch, said she hoped that more people would start using the facility. "Our big push now is because there hasn't been a big uptake on respite care yet ... (anybody) who is looking to find out more about it should contact Mercy Connect," Ms Beverley said. The construction of the facility began following a survey that took place two-and-a-half years ago, in which Henty residents agreed there was a need for a respite care facility. The family who donated $1.5 million to the construction of the facility had been directly affected by this issue. "Well, the reason why this all started is because the family that gave the big donation has a daughter who had chronic fatigue for eight years and it's very difficult for her parents," Ms Beverley said. Since the facility's opening, there has been positive responses from the local community. "Well, for example, one of the local young men did five days in respite ... who has autism and his parents were able to take his grandparents to visit grandma's sister who is in her 90s," she said. "The grandson stayed at Avondale Place and just absolutely loved it."
