Celebrating 25 Years of Care with
Simply Helping Loddon Mallee
At Simply Helping, we recently reached a significant milestone—25 years of offering flexible, quality care to Australians from all walks of life. To recognise this immense achievement, our national office held its own celebrations. But some Simply Helping franchisees—like Jacquie from Simply Helping Loddon Mallee, decided to acknowledge this special occasion in a unique and personal way.
Planning a Celebration to Remember
“It took a long time to decide what Loddon Mallee would like to do for our Simply Helping 25th anniversary celebration,” Jacquie said. Jacquie knew this would be an important event; not only was Simply Helping to celebrate their 25th birthday, but many of Jacquie’s team members had reached ten years of service, a milestone she intended to recognise.
After much careful thought, Senior Care Coordinator Raelene suggested a unique outing idea—what better way to honour Simply Helping’s history than a ride along the Victorian Goldfields Railway. A day trip full of heritage to celebrate the heritage of Simply Helping. Jacquie was delighted and built upon Raelene’s brilliant idea. “Let’s make a day of it,” Jacquie said—a whole-day affair, with shopping, exploration, and lunch at the Maldon Hotel! And with that, Jacquie set about planning a celebration her team at Simply Helping Loddon Mallee wouldn’t soon forget.
A Day of Fun
The day of the event finally arrived, and after donning comfy shoes and their best urban exploration attire, the Loddon Mallee team descended on Castlemaine station. After a quick photoshoot to commemorate the day, they boarded the steam train and soaked in the fresh morning air as they travelled the 17 km to arrive in Maldon.
With time to spare before lunch, some groups hunted for homemade treasures at the Maldon Market while others strolled through the historic local shops. Then, it was time to head to the Maldon Hotel. Jacquie had organised complimentary food and drink, and tables decorated for the occasion—balloons and confetti for Simply Helping’s 25th ‘birthday’!
Post lunch and with full bellies, everyone came together for a ‘Simply Helping Fun Facts Trivia’ quiz, which featured 15 Simply Helping-themed questions. The questions touched on Simply Helping’s history, awards we’ve received, our new ‘values’ (I.C.A.R.E—Integrity, Connection, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, a crowd favourite!), and more. Donna H. and Jackie R. came first and second and, for their efforts, took home a few small prizes.
Before heading off, the team grabbed a quick afternoon coffee, went for one final stroll through the local shops, and then boarded the steam train back to Castlemaine.
Creating Connections
Jacquie chose an entire day outing to allow everyone the opportunity to connect and share experiences. “Loddon Mallee is a large area,” she said, “and many of our support workers spend the majority of their time with the people we support and don’t always get to meet each other. I think this was a great bonding experience for us all.”
The trip was an outright success, with many remarking, ‘It was just the best day!’—a perfect homage to 25 years of togetherness and service at Simply Helping. What started as a simple idea became a memorable event that not only celebrated the past but inspired the Simply Helping Loddon Mallee team far into the future.
Jacquie and her team at Simply Helping Loddon Mallee provide a wide range of flexible home care services to people in the Loddon Mallee region. Click here to learn more, and contact Simply Helping Loddon Mallee today! Not from the Loddon Mallee region? Click here to find a Simply Helping location near you.
