Text Box: Rushworth Community House is delighted to partner with the Rushworth Senior Citizens Club in providing a range of local services to our more mature residents. Situated in Esmonde Street behind the Shire Offices, the Seniors Clubhouse serves as a valuable forum for many activities. Apart from the meals served on Wednesdays the Community House was instrumental in starting the Line Dancing Program through a Vic Fit Grant. Now Gloria Atkins runs this program weekly. Weekly meals have been served by the Community House Lunchpack team since April 2004. In that time we have seen the average attendance on Wednesdays more than double. The members of the Senior Citizens Club avail themselves of some Community House programs including Computers, Support Groups, Film nights and other special activities. We are very happy to work together for the benefit of both groups. Text Box: RCH PEOPLE & PLACES Text Box: In the Community Garden The garden is looking its mid-year best. After the bustle of the warmer months, winter is a time to relax and enjoy the slower pace of cool-climate cultivation. We are currently producing an abundance of welcome winter vegetables, including broccoli, silver beet, broad beans, peas, carrots & onions. Next on the list of things to do is pruning of our vines, fruit trees and roses. It’s been great to have David Vanderdonk helping out in the garden for the past few months; his contribution really has made a terrific difference. Anyone with green thumbs is welcome to join in at the Community Garden. Wednesday mornings are our main activity time, but visitors are always welcome, especially if they bring ideas and expertise from which we can all learn. Contact Sandy Ashton on 5856 1295 Text Box: Rushworth Senior Citizens Text Box: From the Coordinator’s Desk Text Box: COMMUNITY LINK Text Box: Getting ready for a weekly Wednesday cook-up in the local Senior Citizens are (L-R) Miriam McRostie and Elvie Moody with RCH super-chefs Carolyn Ashton and Glenys Oliver. On the menu was rolled roast beef and vegetables plus a mouth-watering dessert. Text Box: Following Joanne Connell’s gift of a box of quinces from the Imperial Hotel garden, Sandy Ashton produced the following recipe for Pickled Quinces: 6 Quinces – washed, peeled, cut into quarters. Discard the cores. Place fruit in water & lemon juice to stop decolouration. Next, prepare the syrup as follows: 1.2 litres white wine vinegar 3 ˝ cups of sugar 2 tsp cloves 2 tsp black peppercorns Put in a pot and bring to boil. Stir until sugar dissolved. Once that’s done, drain quinces and add to sugar and vinegar. Simmer for 15 – 20mins or until soft. Allow to cool and put quinces in clean jar. Boil spiced vinegar for a further 15mins to reduce. Put over fruit and seal the jar. Allow to mature for several weeks. For those who like ginger, try adding about a dessert spoon of peeled and chopped spice to the mixture. Yum!

Cass will be working with us for several months and his input has already made a significant difference. He will be working on several of our publications, and updating the Web page under the guidance of Bernie Halpin. He is also helping other members of the M & P group enhance their desktop publishing skills.

Also welcomed aboard ...

Other new workers at the House are Nicky Crosbie who is working very ably in both admin & catering, and Hannah Thomson who is a great typist and keen all-round worker.

…. dance of the birds

We were delighted to be the auspicing body for the recent Dance of the Birds project, and consider that it attained its goal of raising awareness within the wider community about our wonderfully diverse forest birdlife (photo left).

your subscriptions and ideas ….

As this first Whroomer goes out we are keen to see our past members renew their membership of this vibrant and growing organisation. The philosophy of the Committee of Management and staff is to not only provide programs within our own walls, but to go out into the community working in partnership with other organisations for the benefit of all.

So if you have an idea or an aspiration, please phone me to arrange a time to get together.

Gillian Schoenborn

The return of the Rushy Whroomer in a bigger and brighter version is very welcome. Thanks to Cass Alexander and the Community House Marketing & Promotions group for getting it up and running once again.