These respite facilities are sponsored by Mr Basil Sellers AM. providing respite opportunities for AIS athletes and the cricket fraternity (Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson served as the Australian Cricket team chaplain for 17 years retiring at the end of 2000).
The Basil Sellers Laguna Quays Respite facility is the third such centre and is currently undergoing a revamp with the assistance of a wide range of helpers from the Midge Point and Proserpine areas.
The Laguna Quays facility is a humble cottage with ocean views through some palm trees and mountain scenes to the rear, along a broad street with full services as it was destined to have been an upmarket resort, (Turtle Village), which never quite got off the ground once the infrastructure was established.
Mark Tronson and his wife Delma had reconnoitred the cottage and once purchased, arranged to spent two weeks of each of the first six months in getting the facility ready for visitors' rest and respite.
There is an extended purpose for the Laguna Quays facility, as it has been upon Mark Tronson's heart for some years to extend the respite to missionaries, ministers and pastors with burn-out and the Basil Sellers Art House program of 2-3 artists taking time out to dream and paint along the Heidelburg art house model.
During Mark and Delma Tronson's November December Country Town Tour last year he was introduced to a local builder and electrician and was linked into a developer's Tradies Luncheon at the local Midge Point Tavern.
It is these people and links that are now giving their helping hand to this Laguna Quays respite project.
The littlest job is not too much such as refitting a shower door handle to larger tasks such as putting air conditioners into walls. Some very practical helps have come their way such as when taking a load of rubbish to the local tip, Mark and Delma were given a pumpkin. Delma made pumpkin soup that night – for several nights.
Then there are longer term tasks such as repainting specific rooms, all the doors, the window sills and the like, the on-going tasks such a mowing, and a thousand other jobs, all of which the Lord has provided through people of good-will along with a handy-man who doesn't mind spending an hour putting together a desk made up of what seems like innumerable components.
One important task was the laundry which required major plumbing and new taps, another illustration of the Lord's touch upon this respite project.
A most generous helping hand is that someone is driving the designated Laguna Quays Respite vehicle to the airport to collect and drop off Mark and Delma Tronson and respite visitors, a 20 minute drive to the Proserpine airport. Respite visitors will then have access to that vehicle, a 2000 model dual cab Holden Rodeo.
Mark Tronson enjoys rural living as country folk have a heart to help sacrificially and be part of something which makes a serious contribution into people's lives.
Tomorrow is the final of this five part series of articles where the value of this kind of respite is discussed.