Eureka Clubhouse

Rita hasn't mentioned where she works before but as her anonymity slowly seeps away, there seems little point in keeping it such a secret - so I'll 'fess up and tell you I work for Colony 47, a not-for-profit community services organisation.We have many programs within C47, some work along side people from unique backgrounds. One of those programs is a called Eureka Clubhouse, which is a community based centre run by and for people with mental health issues.
People become a member at Eureka, then can utilise the services provided within that particular program.

Today Rita had the priviledge of being invited to lunch at Eureka, which she accepted with alacrity. The menu today was Roast Turkey. It cost the princely sum of $4.

You can see my plate of gorgeous-tasting roast turkey and veges. The chefs today did the most wonderful job of preparing the meal, and it does them credit to have produced such a fine meal for themselves and the others there at the Clubhouse today.

I believe we have Cheryl, Belinda and Cindy to thank for the roast so my heartiest congratulations go to them. They would put many chefs to shame with the standard of food I ate at Clubhouse today.

Each weekday they do a hot lunch for all who are there that day, with people booking in and paying their $4 lunch money at 10.30 am, then the kitchen committee deciding what they'll cook for lunch, then going out to shop for it, then preparing and cooking it.

Handed out with the hot meal is an envelope, with the word Yes or No written on a piece of paper inside it. If you get an envelope with a Yes inside it, that means you're on wash-up duty after lunch. Good system, eh?

This daily project provides the members with a variety of skills - planning, budgeting, buying foodstuffs, cooking, washing up etc - all skills which ideally all of us should have similar thorough training in.

There is no pressure on the kitchen staff of the day to perform to a specific standard. If the carrots are not cooked properly, they just deal with it. If it's 1.30 and they're all still patiently waiting at their tables for their food, it's not a drama either. It's all part of the learning process.

I hasten to add that wasn't the case today! Everything was cooked to perfection, and we ate at 1.00 on the dot! The potatoes were gorgeous - crispy and well cooked. Cindy said it was her dad's method of doing it, but she was pretty cagey about how she got them like that! Believe me, Rita tried to worm it out of her!

They ARE strict about the hygiene aspect though, and insist on all OH&S issues being maintained in the house.

They are happy to accept donations of any kind too, so if you have a surfeit of vegetables in your vegie patch, or fruit on one of your fruit trees, call them. I'm sure they'll be happy to use them.

Lovely Cindy was the instigator behind Rita being invited for lunch, so my eternal gratitude goes to her for her initiative. She is pictured below enjoying her Roast Turkey lunch.

My thanks also to Lisa and Hermione for their extremely worthwhile service to the members at Eureka.