Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We know that we're getting closer to Christmas, there is
no doubt about that. And joining me on the line
right now is a wonderful Territorian who makes it her
mission each year to ensure that Territorians in aged care
receive a gift for Christmas. It is no easy feat,
with hundreds of donations needed, and then there's the logistical
(00:23):
challenge of distributing them across the Northern Territory. Operation Secret
Center Aged Care NT organizer Tory Star joins me on
the line.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Good morning, Tory, Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Lovely to have you on the show. And Tory, it's
a bit frightening that we're getting this close to Christmas.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Isn't it? Isn't it? Those social media posts about eight
weeks to Christmas certainly like a little bit of anxiety
for me.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Yeah, exactly. Well, they do it for everybody, I think,
making sure that they're organized. But you've got way more
to organize than the rest of us with Operation Secret
Santa Age Care. Tory, how many gifts are you anticipating
that you're going to need this year?
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Well, last year we did just over sixteen hundred presents,
so we're anticipating that will be around the same figure.
We covered all reaches of the Northern Territory, including almost
all of the remote communities. So that's the goal again
this year. Let's see if we can exceed it.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
So what kind of donations are you seeking and how
far and wide are they going to go?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
So they go right through every corner of the Northern Territory,
through all of our local government bodies in various corners
of the territory. And we look for things that your
grandparents might like, so things like socks, blankets, beamie scars.
We arek for little knickknacks and things that can decorate rooms.
(01:53):
Last year we actually had a local childcare center donate
a whole bunch of their kids' art, which was really
well received for brightening up room. So lots of lovely
finger paintings to pop in the bags and a little
coming extra. But basically our rule is if your grandparents
would like to receive it, ye, not food, alcohol or flammable.
We love it.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
I love that idea of the childcare centers as well
donating the art that's beautiful. That would have been so nice,
you know for all the seniors.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Now, in terms of people sort of dropping off those
items or wanting to donate, what's the best thing that
they can do.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Well, they've got two options. We have a go fundme
link which is live on our Facebook page which is
Operation Secret Stand Aged Care NT, So if people would
like to give a monetary donation, that's the means with
which they can do it. Alternatively, if they'd like to
drop off physical donations, we also have a post up
there this morning that lists our current drop offs, which
(02:51):
is pretty much every one of the clpmla's in the
top end, and then heading through into November, we'll have
another update as we get other organizations and businesses that
come online throughout November to also accept physical donations.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Tory, tell me what's some of the feedback that you've
received from those in age care when they get those gifts.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Oh, look, they're really really appreciated. It's really nice for
people to know that they're being thought of at that
time of year. So it can be a really lonely
place in age care, particularly if their family are away
down south or you know the tyranny distance in the territory.
So we get really positive feedback from the organizers at
the center. The coordinator, Lovely emails, which I'll quite often
(03:34):
share on the Facebook page. And I've also had discussions
with family members of residents in the age care facilities
who've also expressed gratitude over the fact that their parents
have received a little gift bag at Christmas and that
it was it was really appreciated.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yeah, that's really nice.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Tory.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Remind our listeners, why did you start Operation Secret Center.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I started this as a little bit of a project
because my big kids were away for Christmas. I was
heavily pregnant and a bit emotional, and I wanted to
do something to fill up my December. And I certainly
filled out my December. And this is actually the tenth
year that I'll have done it, so I've filled up
the next ten December. So now I.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Laughed because I think you want something done, you ask
a busy mum. Right now, I feel like you've got
all these little You've got apprentices, You've got your kids
that help you out every Christmas as well, don't you.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
I sure do, I assure do. My biggest girl is
my delivery driver. She runs around and picks up all
the donations for me and my biggest boy, he's about
to turn eighteen. He's my muscle, and the little ones
get in there with us when we're packing the bags
and run around and help so and I've also got
an army of volunteers but get in contact with me
(04:51):
through the Facebook page as well, who come in over
their weekends, give up their weekends and help us pack
literally hundreds and hundreds of present.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
What a beautiful thing that you and I mean we
are sort of out. We're eight weeks out I guess
from Christmas now, so wonderful time to you know, to
anybody out there listening to start thinking about either going
and purchasing gifts that they feel might be appropriate to
donate or making a monetary donation. I know that there's
a lot of people listening that will really want to
(05:21):
get involved in terms of the distribution of gifts. Tory
talk me through. I mean you mentioned your daughter there
and her being the delivery driver, but took me through
that distribution and what's involved.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Every year. Oh so, we have a country Women's Association
in Stuart Park have given me their space free to
use every year to pack those presents. So we have
an army of volunteers who come in and pack up
hundreds of them help us box them up and then
they are distributed throughout the Northern Territory by some amazing organizations.
(05:55):
Centurion Transport take our Alice Springs runs down every year.
We've had chart Air help us get gets over to
Norland Boy as well as Air North. We have toc
Transport that takes them down to the Catherine region as well,
and from there they're then distributed out through well bill
(06:15):
Yan and Alice Springs actually picks up all the presents
from Centurion distributes them out from me around Alice Spring. Yeah,
and they go out to the local government organizations and
then they as they provide the federally funded in home
age care out to the rural community, they take the
presence out with them and distribute them out there. Well,
they do make it out through a massive network, Yeah,
(06:37):
but they make it to every single corner of the
Northern Territory.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
How lovely and how lovely for all of those seniors
then to receive that Christmas gift. I think it's such
a nice thing. You know that you've started and it's
been going how many years now, ten years?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Ten? This is our tenth our tenth round ten years.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Will Tory remind us of again. We'll catch up with
you over the next few weeks. We'll make sure that
we get some regular updates so that we can make
sure that you know that all of these seniors do
receive a beautiful gift for Christmas. But where can people
go to get any information or if they you know,
if they've heard a little bit of this and they're thinking, oh,
I want to find out more, where's the best place
(07:18):
to go.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Our Facebook page is our Center of All Truth. So
that's Operation Secret Centner Aged Care and.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
T Well Tory Star. It is lovely to speak to
you this morning. Thank you so much for your time.
You're going to be a busy lady over the coming weeks.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Thanks very much. Katie always appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Thank you, no worries at all, Thanks so much.
We know that we're getting closer to Christmas, there is
no doubt about that. And joining me on the line
right now is a wonderful Territorian who makes it her
mission each year to ensure that Territorians in aged care
receive a gift for Christmas. It is no easy feat,
with hundreds of donations needed, and then there's the logistical
(00:23):
challenge of distributing them across the Northern Territory. Operation Secret
Center Aged Care NT organizer Tory Star joins me on
the line.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Good morning, Tory, Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Lovely to have you on the show. And Tory, it's
a bit frightening that we're getting this close to Christmas.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Isn't it? Isn't it? Those social media posts about eight
weeks to Christmas certainly like a little bit of anxiety
for me.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Yeah, exactly. Well, they do it for everybody, I think,
making sure that they're organized. But you've got way more
to organize than the rest of us with Operation Secret
Santa Age Care. Tory, how many gifts are you anticipating
that you're going to need this year?
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Well, last year we did just over sixteen hundred presents,
so we're anticipating that will be around the same figure.
We covered all reaches of the Northern Territory, including almost
all of the remote communities. So that's the goal again
this year. Let's see if we can exceed it.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
So what kind of donations are you seeking and how
far and wide are they going to go?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
So they go right through every corner of the Northern Territory,
through all of our local government bodies in various corners
of the territory. And we look for things that your
grandparents might like, so things like socks, blankets, beamie scars.
We arek for little knickknacks and things that can decorate rooms.
(01:53):
Last year we actually had a local childcare center donate
a whole bunch of their kids' art, which was really
well received for brightening up room. So lots of lovely
finger paintings to pop in the bags and a little
coming extra. But basically our rule is if your grandparents
would like to receive it, ye, not food, alcohol or flammable.
We love it.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
I love that idea of the childcare centers as well
donating the art that's beautiful. That would have been so nice,
you know for all the seniors.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Now, in terms of people sort of dropping off those
items or wanting to donate, what's the best thing that
they can do.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Well, they've got two options. We have a go fundme
link which is live on our Facebook page which is
Operation Secret Stand Aged Care NT, So if people would
like to give a monetary donation, that's the means with
which they can do it. Alternatively, if they'd like to
drop off physical donations, we also have a post up
there this morning that lists our current drop offs, which
(02:51):
is pretty much every one of the clpmla's in the
top end, and then heading through into November, we'll have
another update as we get other organizations and businesses that
come online throughout November to also accept physical donations.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Tory, tell me what's some of the feedback that you've
received from those in age care when they get those gifts.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Oh, look, they're really really appreciated. It's really nice for
people to know that they're being thought of at that
time of year. So it can be a really lonely
place in age care, particularly if their family are away
down south or you know the tyranny distance in the territory.
So we get really positive feedback from the organizers at
the center. The coordinator, Lovely emails, which I'll quite often
(03:34):
share on the Facebook page. And I've also had discussions
with family members of residents in the age care facilities
who've also expressed gratitude over the fact that their parents
have received a little gift bag at Christmas and that
it was it was really appreciated.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yeah, that's really nice.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Tory.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Remind our listeners, why did you start Operation Secret Center.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I started this as a little bit of a project
because my big kids were away for Christmas. I was
heavily pregnant and a bit emotional, and I wanted to
do something to fill up my December. And I certainly
filled out my December. And this is actually the tenth
year that I'll have done it, so I've filled up
the next ten December. So now I.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Laughed because I think you want something done, you ask
a busy mum. Right now, I feel like you've got
all these little You've got apprentices, You've got your kids
that help you out every Christmas as well, don't you.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
I sure do, I assure do. My biggest girl is
my delivery driver. She runs around and picks up all
the donations for me and my biggest boy, he's about
to turn eighteen. He's my muscle, and the little ones
get in there with us when we're packing the bags
and run around and help so and I've also got
an army of volunteers but get in contact with me
(04:51):
through the Facebook page as well, who come in over
their weekends, give up their weekends and help us pack
literally hundreds and hundreds of present.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
What a beautiful thing that you and I mean we
are sort of out. We're eight weeks out I guess
from Christmas now, so wonderful time to you know, to
anybody out there listening to start thinking about either going
and purchasing gifts that they feel might be appropriate to
donate or making a monetary donation. I know that there's
a lot of people listening that will really want to
(05:21):
get involved in terms of the distribution of gifts. Tory
talk me through. I mean you mentioned your daughter there
and her being the delivery driver, but took me through
that distribution and what's involved.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Every year. Oh so, we have a country Women's Association
in Stuart Park have given me their space free to
use every year to pack those presents. So we have
an army of volunteers who come in and pack up
hundreds of them help us box them up and then
they are distributed throughout the Northern Territory by some amazing organizations.
(05:55):
Centurion Transport take our Alice Springs runs down every year.
We've had chart Air help us get gets over to
Norland Boy as well as Air North. We have toc
Transport that takes them down to the Catherine region as well,
and from there they're then distributed out through well bill
(06:15):
Yan and Alice Springs actually picks up all the presents
from Centurion distributes them out from me around Alice Spring. Yeah,
and they go out to the local government organizations and
then they as they provide the federally funded in home
age care out to the rural community, they take the
presence out with them and distribute them out there. Well,
they do make it out through a massive network, Yeah,
(06:37):
but they make it to every single corner of the
Northern Territory.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
How lovely and how lovely for all of those seniors
then to receive that Christmas gift. I think it's such
a nice thing. You know that you've started and it's
been going how many years now, ten years?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Ten? This is our tenth our tenth round ten years.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Will Tory remind us of again. We'll catch up with
you over the next few weeks. We'll make sure that
we get some regular updates so that we can make
sure that you know that all of these seniors do
receive a beautiful gift for Christmas. But where can people
go to get any information or if they you know,
if they've heard a little bit of this and they're thinking, oh,
I want to find out more, where's the best place
(07:18):
to go.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Our Facebook page is our Center of All Truth. So
that's Operation Secret Centner Aged Care and.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
T Well Tory Star. It is lovely to speak to
you this morning. Thank you so much for your time.
You're going to be a busy lady over the coming weeks.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Thanks very much. Katie always appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Thank you, no worries at all, Thanks so much.
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