#279 If I make it till Monday

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“If he went to a home he would have lasted a week. That would have been it, because he wouldn’t have his painting, his music, none of those things.”

‘If I make it till Monday’ by Sally Zwartz

For many of us, the idea of turning 100 is a far off, unimaginable and abstract thing. But in the past 20 years, the number of centenarians in Australia has increased by an impressive 263%, and that trajectory is only getting steeper.

This week we’re bringing you a very special feature documentary about long-time Bankstown resident Arthur Eldridge as he prepares for his hundredth birthday.

By Sally Zwartz with technical assistance from Martin Peralta and Nicola Joseph, as part of the Community Media Training Organisation’s radio features and documentary course – for more information about that training, go to cmto.org.au

Music: ‘Says’ – Nils Frahm, ‘Allegretto Grazioso’ from Clarinet Sonata No. 1 in F Minor Op. 136 by Brahms – Martin Frost and Roland Pontinen, ‘The Red Flag’ – [artist unknown], ‘Quaker Girl’ – Lionel Monckton (from Waltzes from Musicals), “The Merry Widow Waltz’ – [artist unknown], ‘Oh Rosemarie’ – Arthur Eldridge (vocal); Peter Dasent (piano)

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Executive Producer: Selena Shannon

Vic state coordinator: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton

Community Coordinator: Chloe Gillespie

Host: Jessica Hamilton

Episode Compiler: Tegan Nicholls

Image by Nicole baker