IT HAS been a big month for Tulgeen Disability Services, culminating with the unveiling of its new Training and Education Support (TES) Annex on Friday in Bega.
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The launch comes on the back of Tulgeen celebrating 30 years of formal funding at a gala dinner last Friday night.
The annex will be opened at 11.30am and is located on Spindler St.
The purpose of the facility is to provide a venue for clients to undertake music, arts and crafts activities.
The annex will be officially opened by Member for Bega Andrew Constance.
Tulgeen Disability Services CEO Pete Gorton said he was proud to launch the annex.
Mr Gorton said, after purchasing a large building, the TES facility was divided into five areas.
Tulgeen has previously used three parts of the building while the annex was renovated and upgraded.
Mr Gorton said the final result is “pretty nice”.
“It’s a major day activities area for people with a disability or mental illness,” he said.
The TES facility features a 7kW solar system on its roof, which was installed recently (BDN, 8/11).
The system has been crowd-funded through CORENA (Citizens Own Renewable Energy Network Australia).
CORENA provided an interest-free loan of $12,000 to help pay for the solar panels.
Tulgeen will pay back the loan over the next three years out of the savings on its power bills.
Mr Gorton said the solar panels were commissioned this week and would be celebrated at Friday’s opening.
He said the system was an example of Tulgeen “taking a few steps to prepare for the future and be efficient”.
“People who like to come to the Bega Valley and stay can spend time with us if they have a disability,” he said.
Mr Gorton said “it’s been a great time” for Tulgeen following last Friday’s gala dinner at the Sapphire Coast Turf Club.
Around 120 people attended the event, including some of Tulgeen’s clients.
“It was fantastic,” Mr Gorton said.
“It was a dinner and chance to celebrate our 30th anniversary…it was a nice night.”
Mr Gorton said Tulgeen had received positive feedback at the gala dinner.
“We had a heap of people say it was a step in the right direction,” he said.