CHALLENGE. ACCEPTED.
Issue 1 Autumn 2015
Message from the Board
WELCOME to the first issue of the Cooma Challenge Limited – “Challenge” or “CCL” – quarterly
news bulletin.
We hope the bulletin will introduce you to the people who ARE Challenge, the service users and
workers, and the services and help Challenge can provide.
Challenge exists today because of the huge efforts of a band of dedicated people who came
together 60 years ago to better provide for children with disabilities – they should never be
forgotten. As the organisation developed it was fortunate to have caring staff such as Caroline
Peschek to establish standards of care and administration and to ensure a sound financial basis
for its widening range of services. Her burden has now been shouldered by Sandra Donkers.
As with other benevolent organisations, CCL has a Board whose duty is to ensure that CCL
works to fulfil its aims, to provide advice, and to ensure accountability for funding. Board
members include those with a long history of family involvement and others whose personal or
occupational backgrounds may be helpful.
So, again welcome to Challenge.Accepted. and thank you to Caroline Fox who is its founder.
John Price, President of the Board of Directors
Following the Annual General Meeting in
December 2014, the Board consists of:
President – John Price
st
1 Vice President – Lois Jones
nd
2 Vice President – Lorna Rogers-Irvine
Secretary – Jenny Wilson
Director – Bede Nichols
Director – Russell Fox
John is pictured here with the CEO and the
other Board Directors.
Back Row: Sandra Donkers, Bede Nichols,
Russell Fox, John Price
Front Row: Lorna Rogers-Irvine,
Lois Jones, Jenny Wilson
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Welcome to the first issue of Challenge.Accepted. – a quarterly newsletter published by Cooma
Challenge Limited, for the information of all the members of the ‘Challenge family’.
This newsletter is for you!
Each quarter, we will talk about different Cooma Challenge Limited
services, and share all kinds of information that we think would be good for you to know.
(CCL)
You are invited and encouraged to contribute to this newsletter. We would love
stories, pictures, jokes, recipes – anything at all. All you need to do is bring your item into the
Vagg street office for Caroline Fox.
Getting to know the ‘big boss’, Sandra
We thought it might be fun to put Sandra on the spot and ask her
some questions about herself.
How long have you been with Cooma Challenge?
Since 2003 – first as a staff member, then as a Board Director
and then as CEO.
How long have you lived in the local area?
Since 1980.
Who else is in your family?
My husband and two daughters.
What are your personal interests?
Motorbikes, reading and gardening.
What’s your favourite thing about working at
Challenge?
The people – the service users and the staff.
What is your favourite cake?
I love Herman the German Friendship Cake [a yummy sourdough cake].
What’s the bravest (or silliest) thing you’ve ever done?
Driving solo in outback South Australia.
Name one thing on your bucket list:
To snorkel at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.
Sandra is pictured above with Ray &
Christine at the CYADSS / TTW End of Year
Party in December at Cooma Lions Park
(see the story on page 5)
Voting in the State Elections Saturday 28 March 2015
28 March is an important date on the calendar if you are aged 18 and over. That’s the day we all
need to vote in the NSW State Election.
If you would like some help with casting your vote, speak to Sandra or to your Service
Coordinator. We might be able to help you to get to a pre-polling place or to help get the
information you need before you vote.
Also, visit https://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/voting/voting_assistance
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The Business Crew
One of our 26 services is an Australian Disability Enterprise. An Australian Disability Enterprise
(ADE) is a business that provides supported employment to people with a disability. An ADE is
usually run by a not-for-profit organisation like ours but it is still expected to make a surplus after
paying all its costs.
Cooma Challenge actually operates two separate ADEs – a gardening crew (called Koombah
Garden Maintenance) and a business crew (also known as Essentially Monaro).
Essentially Monaro offers business services such as packaging small items, collating and folding
printed matter and also undertaking delivery to letterboxes. There are presently 19 people who
work in this business crew, hailing mainly from Cooma but also from Berridale and Bombala, and
they are quite well known in our community for the work they do.
Katherine, the ADE Coordinator, says, “What the employees love about Essentially Monaro
includes the friendships they make, socialising, fitness and having something to do. Oh, and the
money!”
One of the Essentially Monaro crew members is Graeme Jones, who also works one morning
each week in the Vagg Street Office.
“News from 2014 was the business crew’s move from Polo Flat to a new location inside a former
residence on Bombala Street close to the centre of Cooma,” says Graeme, “The new location is
great. And now the crew has walkie-talkies too which is exciting.” The walkie-talkies are used by
the employees and staff while they are out and about on delivery runs. They are very useful for
communication, particularly when individuals are out of sight of one another.
Graeme also mentioned how good the ADE Christmas Party was. Held in November, it was a
lunch at Cooma Ex-services Club and members of both the gardening and business crews were
there. “Everyone ordered their own meal from the menu. After lunch there was an Awards
presentation. A good time was had by all!”
Some of our customers include Rent-the-Roo, Pacific Furniture, Cooma Furnishing Co., Schoo’s
Studio, Mack’s Auto and more! The crew operates out of a central base in Cooma but works all
around our district, from Bombala to Adaminaby and Jindabyne to Bredbo and everywhere in
between.
We would like to thank Rent-the-Roo and HipPocket Workwear for their kind support in recent
times. Rent-the-Roo kindly donated a new microwave for the lunch-room in thanks for all of the
employees’ efforts. HipPocket Workwear kindly donated safety glasses and gloves for all
employees
including
the
gardening crew.
This is Joel from Rent-the-Roo,
one of our customers, pictured
with (L-R) Chris N, Arthur,
Denese, Jason, Graham H,
Graeme J, Janice,
George and Paul
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“The business crew has recently secured two large, regular delivery contracts which is fantastic,”
says Katherine, “These contracts mean that there is rarely a dull day at the work house now.”
If you want to find out more about the Business Crew – whether you’re interested in employment
as a staff member or a supported employee, or whether you’re interested as a customer –
contact Katherine at the office on 6452 2156 or visit our website www.coomachallenge.org.au .
Please note, the ADEs will be closed for business over Easter 3 to 6 April.
Getting to know Katherine
Katherine Achanfuo-Yeboah is the Coordinator for both the ADEs.
Here’s some stuff about Katherine you didn’t know.
How long have you been with Cooma Challenge?
Nearly two years.
How long have you lived in the local area?
Over two years.
Who else is in your family?
My husband Albert, my gorgeous kids Marcus (who is six) and Arabella (who is three), 11 horses,
three dogs, two alpacas, 11 sheep, two cats and some fish!
What are your personal interests?
Horses and good music (I don’t have a favourite kind of music, just all good music).
What’s your favourite thing about working at Challenge?
My favourite thing is coming to work and seeing everybody – everybody makes me smile.
What is your favourite cake?
Cookies and Cream – didn’t even have to think about it.
What’s the bravest (or silliest) thing you’ve ever done?
The bravest thing was to ride a horse I’d never ridden before over a five-and-a-half-foot jump!
Name one thing on your bucket list:
To win the Melbourne Cup – as a trainer / breeder (Katherine is a little bit too tall to be a jockey!).
Below are pictures of Katherine at the ADE Christmas Party with some of the Business Crew
(L-R) Pat, David S, Heather and Shane
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Children and Young Adults Disability Support Service
One of our services is the Children and Young Adults Disability Support Service (known as
CYADSS, or “Cy-adss”). This service is for children and young people (aged from six to 18) with
a disability and for their families.
The regular programs provide opportunities for children with a disability to enjoy leisure time with
or without their siblings (brothers and sisters are welcome to come along, even if they do not
have a disability). It’s not about replacing what families do together – it’s about encouraging the
young people to socialise and to receive encouragement and comradeship from other people with
disabilities.
Activities are organised based on what great activities and attractions there are around our region
and take into account the requests and interests of the regular attendees - their individual likes
and personalities. Activities might include a trip to a park or shopping centre in Canberra,
lake fishing, a day at the zoo, a visit to a museum or an experience such as at the War Memorial.
At the moment our CYADSS “kids” come from Berridale, Bredbo and Cooma, but children from all
around our area can also get involved.
You can find out more about CYADSS by contacting Christine on 6452 2156 or on 0419 604 627
or by visiting our website.
Please note that there will be no CYADSS activities happening over the Easter weekend but
there will be activities happening over the April school holidays .
We would like to thank Alpine Motor Group for generously supporting Challenge and the
CYADSS program with a donation toward food for the Christmas Party. Plus, we would like to
thank St Patrick’s Parish School for lending us the fun water-balloon target. Christine Williams,
the Coordinator, got very wet indeed and so did several of the other staff members!
Shauna was involved in CYADSS for four years until
she turned 18 (now she is involved in our Transition
To Work service). I asked her to write a short story
about CYADSS.
Shauna got into the
spirit of Crazy Hair Day
at the CYADSS / TTW
party in December
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CYADSS
By Shauna Green
What we did last year 2014, Saturday
13 December we had a crazy hair day
party. It was fun and we had a lot of
people and a lot of food and a lot of
music going on, and fun and games.
And last year December 5 we had
Celebrate Ability Day in the park. We
had a lot of people, singing and dancing
of course, and we had a lot of people
talking. We need more activities like
face painting and football like in
previous years.
Last year 2014 did everyone have a
good Christmas and happy new year?
Social Support
Our Social Support services are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
For people with a disability, living in Bombala Shire
For people with a disability, living in Cooma-Monaro and Snowy River Shires
For people aged 65 and over, living in Bombala Shire (a HACC service)
For people aged 65 and over, living in Cooma-Monaro and Snowy River Shires (a HACC
service).
Social Support is assistance to meet a person’s need for social contact and connection and to
enjoy inclusion in our community. The support might be as simple as receiving a friendly visit at
home, or it might be assisting someone to access the community. It includes providing company
for shopping, banking, attending appointments or just making the most of what our community
has to offer.
In Cooma and Snowy River our Social Support service is coordinated by Trudi Beaver. In
Bombala it is coordinated by Merilyn Matthews.
For more information about the Social Support service, please contact Trudi or Merilyn, care of
the office on 6452 2156.
Getting to know Merilyn Matthews
How long have you been with Cooma Challenge?
Since 2001.
How long have you lived in the local area?
All my life in the Delegate region.
Who else is in your family?
Two daughters and one son and a “sometimes-husband” (he goes bush occasionally).
What are your personal interests?
I love knitting, crocheting, card-making, making jams and sauces, camping and 4WDing.
What’s your favourite thing about working at Challenge?
It’s being there for someone who might not necessarily have someone there for them. And I love
being different things for different people, and doing different things too – like picking loads of
plums with someone the other day.
What is your favourite cake?
Hummingbird Cake.
What’s the bravest (or silliest) thing you’ve ever done?
It’s not really ‘brave’, but I have attended lots of accidents and been called to help in lots of
situations – sometimes getting people out of the ‘silly’ things they might have
done!
Name one thing on your bucket list:
I want to get my flexibility back.
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We want your feedback!
We are seeking feedback about our organisation and all our services – from the people who use
the services, from friends and family and from other members in the community.
With this newsletter is a simple feedback form we would love for you to complete and return. You
can give it to a staff member or coordinator, or bring it into the office, or fax it to 6452 1117. If you
would prefer to mail it to us, we can provide a stamped envelope for you – please ask us.
We know you’re out there – some people actually love the detail.
Would you like to know more about our Policies and Procedures? We are constantly reviewing
them and would welcome your input and ideas.
Have you read the Disability Inclusion Act 2014?
There are Easy Read versions available to read at our ADE Essentially Monaro
house and at the office in Vagg Street.
Or go to www.adhc.nsw.gov.au to find the Fact Sheets online.
Pictured are two more of
our
Business
Crew
members with Katherine
(again!) - at left is Michael,
at right is Bob
Did you know?
Cooma Challenge actually delivers 26 services? It’s true, 26! These include
services in Cooma-Monaro and Bombala Shires.
Image Consents
Anyone’s picture you see in this newsletter or on our website is there only
because we have consent from those people to take and use their images. We
need to ask for permission from everyone from the Board directors to staff
members, service users and family members.
www.coomachallenge.org.au
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Some important dates coming up
There are all kinds of events and activities happening around our region. We have a link to
visitcooma.com.au on our website so you can get some great ideas for things to do and see and
enjoy in the local area.
Here are just some important dates coming up, you might like to know about:
Bombala Show – Saturday 21 March
Sir William Hudson Memorial Nursing Home Fete – Sunday 29 March
Good Friday – 3 April
Easter Day – Sunday 5 April
ANZAC Day – Saturday 25 April
Cooma Challenge Limited will be closed on Friday 3 and Monday 6 April (including all our
services excluding Community Living and the Group Home).

Please note, CYADSS will operate throughout the April school holidays, although there will
be no activities on 3, 4, 5 or 6 April.

Transition To Work will operate throughout the April TAFE holidays, but not on Friday 3 or
Monday 6 April.

Respite Care services that normally occur on a Friday or Monday will be rescheduled
around the time of the Easter long weekend.
It is with much sadness that we
announce that our workmate
and friend Ray Callaghan
passed away at home on
Monday 9 March. (Ray is
pictured at left at the ADE
Christmas Party and at right at
our
60th
anniversary
celebrations in August 2014.)
We will miss him very much.
We would like to include a story
about our friend in our next
newsletter, the winter issue.
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