THE spooky season took hold at ac.care during Halloween with hundreds of children and families trick or treating at the Mount Gambier Community Centre and the Murray Bridge-based ac.care Murraylands Centre.
ac.care staff dressed up and decorated their workspaces as part of the Halloween festivities, drawing in a constant flow of community members to the agency sites throughout the evening.
It was the first time the Murraylands centre had hosted a community Halloween event and Reconnect youth support officer Alexandra Kermond estimated over 700 people visited the Bridge Street premises.
“Our first Halloween at ac.care Murraylands was a huge success and our team had a lot of fun interacting with the children and families who visited during their trick or treating,” Alexandra said.
“ac.care is proud to offer opportunities for all country people and while this falls outside our usual services, we had a great time engaging with the community and simply having fun together.
“We hope that by visiting our Bridge Street site, people have walked away with a bit more understanding about the role of ac.care in the Murraylands and what support is available.”
The Mount Gambier Community Centre team also enjoyed keeping the centre doors open late as the community dropped by for some sweets and the occasional scare.
Now in its second year, ac.care Limestone Coast homelessness service regional manager Kelly McGuinness said staff enjoyed the opportunity to dress up and engage with the community in a fun atmosphere.
“Similar to last year, we found the Halloween event brought in a wide range of people to the centre, including many who may never have visited us at 22 Ferrers Street before,” Kelly said.
“Our community centre truly is a space for everyone to come along to meet people, take part in fun activities or to seek support.
“The Halloween theme extended to the weekly craft group at Millicent Community Centre, as well as throughout the week here at Mount Gambier, which just adds an element of fun and vibrancy to the space.”
To learn more about how ac.care can support you or to find your nearest ac.care site, visit this page, email care@accare.org.au or call 1300 ACCARE (1300 222 273).
