Kindamindi Preschool donate $5500 to Operation Operating Room
Kindamindi preschool stunned Operation Operating Room representatives on Tuesday with a $5500 donation to purchase equipment for the children’s ward of Inverell District Hospital.
“I’ll have to write another cheque!” said treasurer Pam Weste, who was only expecting $1500. Along with OOR chair woman Di Baker and vice chair Jo Williams, she was thrilled to receive the funds raised from the preschool’s annual art show.
“Kindamindi, in conjunction with the art gallery have done a fabulous job of raising money this year,” Di said.
“Donating it through OOR means we can guarantee that the money will go where they wish it to go.” Di said the local charity would consult with hospital management and choose the equipment they felt would most benefit the community.
Kindamindi Preschool students spent a term creating artworks, which were then auctioned off in their annual art show in August.
Students Rain and Harry handed over the big cheque in a hand painted envelope covered in animals and mermaids.
“The money’s going to help the hospital feel much more better,” Rain said.
Kindamindi director Jan Carr said the students painted their art pieces over the course of a term before they were auctioned off.
“I think it’s really important for children’s voices to be heard and for children to be seen in the community,” she said.
“I think it’s a beautiful way to do it, working as a team with the art gallery.”
Jo, who is the Inverell Art Gallery supervisor said the community loved seeing the children’s work on display.
“It was just fantastic, seeing the pride the children had in their artwork, and it was so well supported by their families and the community,” she said.
Di said it was wonderful to see children instilled with a social conscience at such a young age.
In the wake of reports of inadequate staffing at the hospital last weekend, Di also noted the great struggle for resources in the health industry.
“I think that it’s very unfortunate that there was no doctor at the hospital. There should be doctors there all the time and unfortunately, obviously it didn’t work out this time. But I know that the staff do try very hard to have doctors there all the time, but sometimes it just doesn’t happen,” she said.
“It would be nice if there was a surplus of doctors, but unfortunately there isn’t. That’s one of the reasons OOR does what it does, because we want to have a good working environment for the doctors so they feel as though they’re in a hospital that can give full care and service to the patient.
“The need’s great and the resources are limited and there’s always going to be that area of conflict that not everything can be supplied and done when we want it to be supplied and when we want it to be done.”