General News
5 June, 2019
Friends and family mark milestone
COOINDA Terang friends, staff members and family made sure long-time client Ian Cronin’s 80th birthday was a special occasion on Monday.
COOINDA Terang friends, staff members and family made sure long-time client Ian Cronin’s 80th birthday was a special occasion on Monday.
Complete with a blue birthday cake and a variety of cakes and slices, the morning tea event followed on from a family celebration on Sunday.
Hailing from Camperdown, Mr Cronin has been involved with the disability service provider for about 64 years.
Speaking at the birthday celebrations at Cooinda’s day centre, his sister Lyn McLean said Ian had been a part of the Cooinda Terang community since 1955, shortly after it first opened in 1954.
“Ian is one of the first original clients,” she said.
“The bus used to pick him up.”
He then became a resident at Cooinda in the early 1990s.
Looking back on his long relationship with the facility, Mr Cronin said his fondest memories included making pottery and working on the farm.
His other regular hobbies included bowling and swimming.
Mrs McLean said he was a well-loved member of the Cooinda Terang and wider Terang communities.
“Everybody is his friend,” she said.
“All these people here are friends and family.”
Family members came from far and wide to celebrate the milestone, including from Ararat and Portland.
Cooinda Terang general manager Philip Hose said Mr Cronin was “the real gentleman of Terang”.
“He’s very well-known around town,” he said.
“He has a great sense of humour and he’s a great help to his friends.”