Silver Wattle Quaker Centre has managed to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The effort has been sustained by faith, support from donors, and simplifying operations to manage expenses. While residential courses from March to December 2020 had to be canceled, more people came for personal retreats and smaller gatherings were still held for gardening and land care activities throughout the year. Residential courses will resume from April 2020.
At the start of the outbreak, a desire for connection was met with an offering of weekly, then monthly online epilogues, in addition to online courses on living simply and Quaker basics and a virtual reading group studying Thomas Kelly. Quaker historian Paul Buckley offered a webinar after he was prevented from traveling to Australia as previously planned. Online offerings will continue even as Silver Wattle returns to hosting residential activities as the virtual option clearly meets a need for Australian Friends. This has been one gift of the pandemic.
The Silver Wattle Board has been making good use of this down time, reviewing strategic directions and organizational structures, and attending to facility improvements such as installing energy-efficient climate control systems and a new wheelchair lift for better accessibility.
Learn more: Silver Wattle Quaker https://www.friendsjournal.org/quaker-orgs/silver-wattle-quaker-centre/Center
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