09 July 2021
Benetas Olympic Torch on the road
It’s not the Olympics but it’s just as exciting. Victorian aged care provider Benetas, hosted an Olympic Torch relay, which kicked off in Bendigo on Monday 5th July and is on its way to 14 homes across Victoria, finishing at Benetas support office in Hawthorn.
Residential Manager of Benetas St Laurence Court Kangaroo Flat Vikki Ough said that the kick-off event was a great success with our inaugural torch bearer Warren Driscoll, a Bendigo Home Care Package client, starting the torch’s journey to St Laurence Court in Eaglehawk then arriving at St Laurence Court Kangaroo Flat the next day.
“Warren was thrilled to open the relay,” Ms Ough said.
“He was especially grateful to be so actively involved as it was also the ten year anniversary of a significant accident he had that left him in a coma for two and a half months and 12 months in hospital.
“To watch him walk the torch ‘over the line’ into our Kangaroo Flat home and share his remarkable story with those involved was heart-warming and inspiring.”
The Benetas Olympic Torch is now traversing the state from Bendigo to Gisborne, Altona Meadows, Glenroy, Brunswick, Heidelberg, Camberwell, Caulfield North, Mooroolbark, Traralgon, Frankston, Mornington, Clarinda and finishing up at Hawthorn East.
Benetas CEO Sandra Hills OAM said this journey signifies the strong link between each of our homes and the residents and employees within them.
“The last year and a half has been very isolating for many people and many of our residents, families and employees have made immense sacrifices during this period,” she said.
“Hence the reason we set up this relay to have fun and celebrate something exciting and familiar like the Olympics Games.”
Benetas homes across Victoria have planned numerous events to celebrate the journey of the Benetas Olympic Torch. These range from afternoon teas to a mini Olympics, being held at Benetas Broughton Hall in Camberwell with balloon volleyball, discus and beanbag shotput as well as chauffeured ride in a limousine for Benetas Lovell House residents in Caulfield North to shepherd the torch to its next destination at St Johns Park in Mooroolbark.
Ms Hills said the way that our employees and resident community have jumped on board this initiative is incredibly heart- warming and gives us great pride in the work that we do and our ability to support these incredible people.