Big response to call for aid

THE five elderly people who were shifted to a Dandenong aged care facility in only the clothes they were wearing will soon have personal items they can call their own.
The plight of Edna, Clifford, Albert, Cyril and Nola was featured in last week’s Star, as was the Dandenong RSL’s public appeal to help the residents.
John Filmer from Dandenong RSL’s welfare subcommittee said he was amazed by the response from the public.
“We’ve received calls from people from Berwick, Dandenong, Dandenong North, Doveton, Clayton North, Noble Park and Springvale who have donated items,” he said.
“We’ve received TV sets, electric shavers, VCRs and DVD players. There has been a whole range of personal goods and many more promised. We also received a beautiful set of gardening tools from Bunnings for Cyril to use in the garden.
“I should also thank the members of the Dandenong RSL for their personal contributions.”
He said an offer also came from grades one and two students from Lyndale Primary School who wanted to help.
The five elderly residents were shifted to Scottvale Nursing Home in Dandenong with no money or possessions after the special accommodation facility they were living in closed down in April.
Their few possessions were lost in the move, and with no family to help, the five were put in the trust of the State Government.
They were shifted to Scottvale because it was a new home with spaces available.
The Dandenong RSL subbranch, Dandenong police and Scottvale staff spearheaded the appeal.