Letter to the editor: Crows Nest says thank you

On 18 November, 2019 Churches of Christ in Queenlsand Crows Nest Aged Care Service and Crows Nest Retirement Village was advised by the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services to evacuate due to nearby bushfires.The local community banded together to ensure the safety of residents, staff and neighbours.

The following letter from Crows Nest Aged Care Service Manager and Retirement Living Manager was sent to the Toowoomba Chronicle, Warwick Daily News and the Southern Free Times to thank communities that supported our services in Crows Nest during this time.

27 November 2019

Dear Editor

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Southern Downs community for the tremendous outpouring of support, kindness and sacrifice that was shown to residents and staff from our Crows Nest Aged Care Service and Retirement Village when they were required to evacuate last week.

From the beginning, the help we received from our community was inspiring, with families and neighbours going above and beyond to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our residents.

As soon as we were advised to evacuate our Crows Nest services, our staff, families and the community rallied behind us to provide safe transport and suitable accommodation for over one hundred residents from our residential aged care, retirement village and community care services.

It is with the dedication of our managers and the team on the ground that we were able to calmly and safely relocate everybody in a relatively short period of time. Residents were at ease and were not distressed at what could be a very frightening and daunting time.

Special thanks to our families who were able to provide support, the Queensland Ambulance Services, Stonestreets Coaches, St Vincent’s Private Hospital Toowoomba, Infinite Aged Care, Warwick Vines Motel, Allan Cunningham Motel and our Toowoomba and Warwick Aged Care Services for opening your doors and welcoming us with open arms in a time of need.

Our gratitude also goes out to our heroic Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and volunteer firefighters who are at the frontline and continue to battle fires. Their safety was always at the forefront of our minds.

Our residents and staff have now moved safely back into their homes. We are thankful to those who have joined us in prayer to ensure the safety of our homes, families and loved ones during the past week.

The strength and resilience shown by the community during a time of great need and uncertainty shows what true community spirit is, and what makes Churches of Christ what it is.

We are in awe of the generosity and many great acts of kindness that continues to be shown through labour, support and care, and the uplifting spirit of our neighbouring communities as we come together to ensure the wellbeing of our residents and neighbours.