Bordertown wins Mental Health Award
It was announced that the Margaret Tobin Award for Excellence in Mental Health 2007 recognising and acknowledging those who have made an outstanding contribution to Mental Health Services in SA, the winner for the Category of excellence in promoting an understanding of Mental Health in the community was the Rotary Club of Bordertown.
President of the Rotary Club of Bordertown, John Ballinger, Immediate PP Glenda Mock and her husband Robert were invited to attend the 2007 Dr Margaret Tobin Awards for Excellence in Mental Health Presentation on Tuesday 9th October at The Terrace, Adelaide Festival Centre, King William Road, Adelaide where The Honourable Gail Gago, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse presented the 2007 Dr Margaret Tobin Awards for Excellence in Mental Health. The presentation coincided with the launch of Mental Health Week 2007 by the Minister.
Robert Mock nominated The Rotary Club of Bordertown's highly successful Mental Health Forum held with Ms Shirley Smith in October last year for an award.
It was announced that the Margaret Tobin Award for Excellence in Mental Health 2007 recognising and acknowledging those who have made an outstanding contribution to Mental Health Services in SA, the winner for the Category of excellence in promoting an understanding of Mental Health in the community was the Rotary Club of Bordertown.
PP Glenda Mock, President John Ballinger and Robert Mock received the award on behalf of the Club.
PP Glenda responded with:
"On behalf of the Rotary Club of Bordertown, I thank those who have made the 2007 Dr Margaret Tobin Awards for Excellence in Mental Health, possible. It is a great thrill to be here and a greater thrill to receive this award.
Congratulations to all other contestants, finalists and awardees.For many years I have felt for those experiencing depression or a mental illness, their families and the community they live in, how isolated and lonely it is for them. Where can they go for help in times of need? The journey they are on is one of isolation and darkness. Rural areas are constantly in need of mental health professionals. Yes, we have phone access, but, this service is not always available.Getting an appointment in your local town with a mental health professional, can be difficult. Since the forums last year, it has been like the raising of a curtain.
Those who are hurting know they are not alone. They do not have to hide. They know, others care and there is help out there.
May that curtain never fall. Thankyou."
To hold the forum was so rewarding for our Club in recognising a need in the Community and being able to help others, to receive an Australia Day Award this January for a Community Event from the Tatiara Council was fantasti; to be awarded the Aitken Award Publicity and Media, 2006 - 2007at this year's Rotary District 9870 Conference for Media coverage of the Mental Health Forum really "Blew us away", but to win State acclaim was totally unexpected and further acknowledges the success of the event and the effort put into the Forum by the Rotary Club of Bordertown which folllowed up last years event with a further successful Student Forum this year. It also "raises the curtain " as PP Glenda says and acknowledges the Mental Health issues affecting the community so that people are more aware that there is help out there and that they are not alone.
PP Glenda had the vision of the Club doing something in Mental Health and with the support of the Rotary Club, Rotarians from other clubs, and the Community the forum's have met with tremendous success, beyond the Club's wildest expectations, all thanks to Rotary and its family of friends.