Charlotte Varcoe
FAMILIES at the Ronald McDonald house were treated to a home cooked meal thanks to a small number of Penola women.
The With Love Penola group spent several months gathering both food and monetary donations before travelling to the charity organisation.
Group member Anne Johnson said the women served a total of 42 families utilising the facility, with two families from Mount Gambier included.
“Our group member Diana Clayfield made the aprons we wore on the day which made us look the part and we arrived just after midday which gave us time to slow cook a roast lamb,” Ms Johnson said.
“We also served roast chicken and a mountain of vegetables for the families before serving up Penola’s Vintage Cafes peach and apple crumble.”
She said there was a large portion of food left over after the dinner service, which the women donated for future meals.
“We also had several hundred dollars worth of monetary donations and so we were given a wish list from the facility and purchased a number of items for them as well,” Ms Johnson said.
“The generosity of the Penola community was wonderful and it is fantastic to support the 50 families or more who use the facilities each year.
“It was an excellent thing to do and we want to do it again next year around July.”
The original trip for the women was expected to happen earlier this year, however prompt Covid-19 restrictions implemented on the Limestone Coast made the trip impossible.
“We are just happy we were able to go up there and do it,” Ms Johnson said.
“Everyone at the Ronald McDonald house works so well as a team and the five of us who went thought it was absolutely magical there.”
