Others Magazine

Sunrise manager Lorraine Butler said the 36 quarantined residents were thankful and appreciative of the packs.

She said it was “a bright spot” for the residents as it broke up the monotony of isolation and showed the Army’s mission and values of everyone helping each other. “It was a little gift to them.”

Darwin Corps Officer Major Kim Hawke said puzzles, books, magazines, and other items went into the care packs along with slices and cupcakes made by corps folk, brownies baked by the corps’ Junior Soldiers, soft drinks, and snacks.

Sunrise staff acted quickly when the cases were detected in the centre, the Army’s homeless men’s shelter and alcohol and other drugs rehabilitation facility at Berrimah, east of Darwin.

Lorraine said some of the wards at Sunrise were turned into isolation areas and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with residents from those areas moved elsewhere inside the centre.

She said caseworkers reworked programs so the quarantined residents could continue their rehabilitation journey as face-to-face interaction was impossible. Some of the residents were in isolation for seven to 10 days.

Lorraine said the centre’s two chefs tested positive, so other staff prepared meals until replacements were found.

Kim said the virus had spread rapidly in the Northern Territory following the relaxing of government protocols around Christmas after having only a few reported cases in the community over the past two years. She described it as “a bit tough” with residents at Sunrise having to be isolated when they already were battling to recover from addiction.

Fred Docking, the Army’s Service Manager and Northern Territory Coordinator in the Social Mission Department, who initially approached the corps for ideas to help the isolated residents, said the residents were grateful for the packs: “They loved them. It made [them] all feel special and has helped bring a bit of light-heartedness during a difficult time.”

South Australia/Northern Territory Divisional Commander Major Lance Jeffrey said the care packs were a great way for the residents to be supported through “a very challenging time”.