By Rhiannon Gavalakis

A colourful account of Shepparton Villages' history is set to-be immortalised in a new book.

The publication will celebrate the 50th birthday of the villages and detail the history of the aged-care organisation.

Victorian Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell yesterday announced the villages had received a $7000 Victorian Government grant to fund the history book.

"The government is trying to ensure that the stories of each of the communities are being told, and this is an important story," Mrs Powell said.

"Shepparton Villages started off in 1963 with the Rotary Club wanting there to be an aged-care facility and over the so years it has grown to what it is now.'' 

The book titled The Passion and The Dream was compiled by historian Stella M. Barber and includes photos and stories of the residents, employees and volunteers who had been a part of the organisation throughout the years.

"It will document the people, the leadership, the vision and the journey," Mrs Powell said.

Shepparton Villages president Dr Selina Quilty said the facility was one of the first for retirement and care. 

"It was quite a revolution in a sense when it began in tbe 1960s," Dr Quilty said.

The Victorian Government's Local History Grants also provided a $5000 grant this year to Shepparton Family History Group to produce a book of the early families of the Goulburn Valley region.

Philanthropist and 2013 Victorian of the Year Jeanne Pratt will launch The Passion and The Dream on November 14 at Tarcoola Village. The book will be available for purchase for $70 from Shepparton Villages.

As printed in the Shepparton News, Saturday, October 5, 2013