September Theme: New Generations Month.
Lookout Reserve
Maintenance Roster: planning
is in progress.
Report of Meeting: 5/9/2017
Visitors: Colin Peebles: Guest Speaker.
- Membership fees are due. $210.00. John Paton
or Noel Emselle will accept them happily and with grace.
- Lift the Lid for Mental Health will be on 8th
October. A donation of a bottle of wine at
$15-$20 will help recognize this cause as well as raise some funds. John
Calnin will accept any donations.
- Members are reminded that the Working With
Children forms need to be filled in. A reminder has been sent to those who have
not completed the form.
- A focus group will be established to
determine if there is a need in Ocean Grove to support those people who are
involved in domestic violence. It is proposed that the activity may be similar
to that established in Maryborough. (See Bulletin June 6th.)
- There will be a collection at Bunnings for
Lift the Lid on 5th & 6th October.
- A visit to a project on water in Cambodia is
being planned early next year. See John Calnin if interested.
Fundraising: Volunteers needed for the manning
of the gates at the Geelong and District Finals matches appear to have enjoyed
the experience if not the cold
Market: The new venue at the Ocean Grove
Park (Ingermells Park) is being promoted as widely as possible. A Roster was circulated and there are some
vacancies. Bookings are coming in.
Art Show Sub
Committee: Please
return Raffle Books when completed.
Entries have started to come in.
Footy Tipping: Winner: Geoff Ford. Second: Gill Morgan, Third: Bill Walton and in last
place Geoff Brentnall. Congratulations to all participants. Tipping can
continue over the finals.
Community: - Lookout Reserve revegitation and
general maintenance will be held on Sunday, 10th September at10am.
There are 400 trees to be planted and more volunteers are needed. A BBQ lunch
will be provided and helpers are needed to provide this meal.
A
strategy plan is to be developed involving other interested parties in a small
working group.
Vocational: Two
activities are planned and locked in.
-There will be 43 people attending
the Driftwood Café on Tuesday 12th September, 6 for 6.30pm. Ty
Symons (owner/manager) will explain how the café came about and general aspects
of café management. This is a partner’s night and friends and guests are most
welcome. Cost for the evening is $30.00, this includes a wine tasting and a
two-course meal.
- Visit to the Waltons Piggery on
Sunday 12th November. Please see the recent email for details.
Please note: The bus will only take 52 people plus driver. NO PUBLIC TRANSPORT CAN BE ALLOWED ON THE FARM.
Please email Martin with your
intentions for both these functions.
Social: Several events are planned
including a visit to a drive in movie, progressive dinner and car rally.
Japan Trip: Nicole reported that there are enough
interested members. This trip will go ahead as enough people have booked.
Guest Speaker: Colin
Peebles CEO Geelong Food Relief Centre.
The organization originated when the Pyramid
Building Society collapsed and money for many people was simply not available.
There are two major areas of operations, one in North Geelong where there is
bulk distribution and a mini mart and one bulk distribution center in the CBD.
There were 36,000 in Geelong who was hungry in
2017. 655tonnes of food was distributed all over the area involved this ranges
from Lara, Shelford, Torquay, the Bellarine Peninsular as well as most areas in
Geelong. There are 90 volunteers who help manage the operation and 43
organizations in partnership.
The aim is to provide as much food as possible
with dignity by providing food vouchers that enable people to shop according to
their discretion in peace. Vouchers are given after assessment and a history is
taken allowing the recipients to at least feed their families without the fear
of hunger.
Relationships with the corporate sector is
close as their donations whether financial or as food enables the Food Bank to
operate. Some food and necessary items are purchased so a greater range is
available. Schools are also involved with donations in kind and sometimes
labour. Micro food banks are also available in most areas so those who are
unable to access the main centers can at least have basic requirements. Up to
1.6 tonnes of food per week also comes from the produce grown at the prison
farms. Colin emphasized that expiry and best before dates are strictly followed
and unused food is passed on to farmers for fodder and fertilizer.
There is no financial support from the State or
Federal Governments. Finance comes from corporate and private donation. Colin
stated that there was a food shortage problem in Australia because of the
enormous personal debt in the community. 98.9% of those who require assistance
are ordinary people not just the homeless. Often these people are young whom in
order to maintain their living expenses often stint on food. He believes the
problem will become worse as interest rates rise. The food Bank also assists by
providing some food for school breakfasts and on Friday nights emergency food
parcels are given to some students to see them through the weekend.
Thank you,
AG
