It might seem like an obvious past-time for these Victor Harbor locals, but there’s a deeper meaning to the daily social event.
“When I moved into the village 12 years ago, I knew I wanted to have more interactions with my neighbours,” says 75-year-old village resident Gail van Ryswyk.
“There’s now only one married couple in our village, while everyone else lives on their own. We are all around the same age and stage of life, so it was important we got to know each other and feel part of a community.”
That led Gail to initiating a daily morning tea, with all residents invited, under the village’s pergola.
“We would all bring a plate to share, but when Dianne moved in and brought her love of cooking, she took it to a new level. On occasions, she will cook something special and everyone will pay their share.”
For 72-year-old Dianne Crouch, the daily morning tea is an opportunity to share something she loves with her village neighbours.
“Cooking is a real passion for me,” says Dianne, who has gained a reputation among the neighbours for her Brazilian cheese puffs.
“I love the atmosphere of just sitting around, chatting with each other, and seeing our friends enjoy what we’ve all made.
“No one goes hungry here. If I’m cooking dinner for myself, I always try to share it with others that can’t or don’t like to cook for themselves.
“We call it Meals on Heels, instead of Meals on Wheels. Most of the time I’m in my nighty and dressing gown.”
To celebrate Neighbour Day this Sunday 30 March, residents at Mervyn Graham Lodge will stray from their normal menu of baked goods and enjoy a sausage sizzle.
Held on the last Sunday in March, Neighbour Day is Australia’s annual celebration designed to strengthen ties to the community and foster a sense of belonging within neighbourhoods.
“It is the interaction, the time spent being together, that’s very special to us,” Gail says.
We feel like we’ve been put here for a reason. Our neighbours say, ‘you don’t know what you give to us’ but, in return, they don’t know what they give to us either.
Testament to the strength of their relationships with each other, Mervyn Graham Lodge residents enjoyed Christmas lunch together last year.
“We treat each other like family so it just made sense to celebrate together,” says Dianne, who served up roast turkey and vegetables, with gravy and all the trimmings.
Her move into the village involved a sea change from 300 kilometres away on the Yorke Peninsula, and Dianne says it was lifechanging for more than one reason.
“I have lived here for four years and they’ve been the best four years of my life.”
ECH Chief Executive Claire Scapinello says Mervyn Graham Lodge’s social group shows why retirement villages are so popular with older South Australians.
“When you move into a retirement village, you have the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends,” she says.
“Gail and Dianne’s story is one of many examples from across our 109 villages, where people have downsized their home, and are now getting more out of life.”
More information:
