Looking Ahead Activity Day held at the Borambola Sport and Recreation Centre
Cost $4,000
Saturday, 22nd October, 2011 saw 12 families from 12 different towns in the Riverina Region converge on the Borambola Sport and Recreation Centre. These families all had at least one child with a Vision Impairment. The aim of the Activity Day, organised by members of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga, in conjunction with staff members from Vision Australia and the Itinerant Support Vision Teachers from Wagga Wagga, was to set up an informal support network for these families.
Many of these families feel isolated in their own communities as they may be the only family with a Vision Impaired family member. Parents meeting other parents in the same situation and siblings discovering that they were not the only children in Australia with a Vision Impaired brother or sister came as a revelation to most of them.
The students were divided into groups and each child had a Rotarian or Teacher allocated for the day to be the carer / companion throughout the day’s activities such as low ropes, archery (with bells and balloons on the targets) and an alternative program for the Under 8’s.
The students and the adults bonded and supported each other in a most enjoyable way.
After a busy morning lunch was very welcome, then the parents and older students attended a Discussion Forum to listen to presentations from young adults who had been through school with a Vision Impairment and were now coping in the workforce. This Forum proved to be very popular with the parents of younger children and they now feel confident “Looking Ahead” into the future that their children will be able to cope with what life offers to them.
Meanwhile, the carers with the under eight year olds age group were enjoying themselves with traditional toys, colouring in, ball games, mini golf, playdough and balloon games as well as group activities using a giant parachute and the earth ball, both of which proved to be very popular.
To conclude the day the Catering Corps from the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga prepared a superb feast before all the travellers departed for home. President Barry Francis shared his musical talent with the group which created a wonderful, relaxing atmosphere at the end of a busy day.