Neighbour Aid needs more neighbourly types

Demand for Northern Illawarra Neighbour Aid (NINA) services has increased while volunteer numbers have dropped dramatically, endangering the support NINA provides for elderly residents.

Joint co-ordinator Julie Fallon said the service had 140 registered clients with just 47 volunteers to provide meal deliveries, transport to doctors and specialists, socialisation, bus drivers and escorts, do shopping, take people on excursions and visit elderly residents in their homes.

“It’s been desperate for quite a long time,” Julie said.

“We feel awful having to ask the same people all the time but it’s always the busy people who volunteer.

“We like to look after our volunteers as we know that if we use them too much, we’re going to lose them.

“Our volunteers are part of the team - it doesn’t matter if you’re paid or not - we respect the role they play.”

The service is overseen by a Management Committee with representatives from the local community and is a Home and Community Care program funded through the Department of Ageing, Disability and HomeCare. There is a small band of part-time paid staff and all other work is carried out by volunteers.

NINA’s target group is the frail aged, people with disabilities and their carers and its aim is to keep people in their homes and maintain their independence for as long as possible.

“I have seen a difference in people with the socialisation aspect of the service,” Julie said. “People have made friends … best friends.”

The service’s weekly Café Club, where elderly clients are transported to the

Helensburgh Workmen’s Club every Thursday for gentle exercise classes, entertainment, lunch, a chat and a coffee, is extremely popular with many clients seeing it as the highlight of their week.

“Where clients have moved into the area to be closer to family after they have lost a spouse, they leave friends and have to find new ones,” Julie said.

“It fills an important social need.”

Volunteers work on a roster system and those willing to deliver hot meals to elderly residents at lunch time are asked for just one hour a month. Those doing individual transports, which involves driving residents to doctor’s appointments usually at Miranda, Kogarah or Wollongong, are reimbursed for their petrol at the generous rate of 50 cents a kilometre. Training and support is provided for all volunteers.

NINA is looking for volunteers across all areas of service, particularly people able to provide transports. Anyone able to volunteer is asked to call NINA on 4294 1900.

www.nina.org.au

Editorial

About 12 months ago, after a Sounds from the Park evening at the Kiosk in Stanwell Park, a group of young people were seen stumbling and lurching near the side of the road with one lying by a tree, passed out.

A motorist stopped to help and eventually bundled the drunken boy into the back of her car after his “friends” had found his address in his wallet.

The parents were dumb-founded. They thought he was spending the night at a friend’s house and couldn’t believe their son was out way past midnight, let alone suffering alcohol poisoning.

He was due to celebrate his 13th birthday that weekend.

Much of the media fall-out from the Macquarie Fields riots has centred on bad parenting as the cause but perhaps it is more a case of parents being too trusting.

Providing the right role models, discipline and being available to listen to our children’s concerns does not guarantee they will do the right thing when they are out and about with their friends, looking for some excitement.

The recent spate of graffiti and other forms of vandalism proves that some mischievous youths are definitely not doing the right thing. And while we might excuse them these youthful excesses because there isn’t much to do around the area after dark, it begs the question: What are they doing out anyway? If there isn’t much to do, what are they doing?

While 15 and 16-year-olds might be old enough to meet their friends on the streets at night, it is incumbent on parents to know where they are and when they will be home. They might not be old enough to buy alcohol but they will get it if they want as witnessed a few months ago when a man was seen passing bottles of beer in a brown paper bag to two youths on bikes.

If your children are spending the night at a friend’s place, check with their parents that they’re there. If you see someone defacing or vandalising property, tell their parents or the police. Grafitti clean-up programs are one thing, but stopping the problem at its root cause is the answer.

Heather Smith, Editor

Scouts set to close

The 1st Helensburgh Scout Group is in danger of folding if more leaders and committee members are not found.

Leader in charge Ian Counsell said the scout troop for 11 to 14-year-olds was closed at the end of last year and the cub pack for eight to 11-year-olds could not take any more members.

“I’ve had to close the books as there are 27 cubs and only one leader,” he said.

The annual general meeting on 17 March elected just a treasurer, with no-one volunteering for the role of chairman or secretary.

The AGM was due to be reconvened on 30 March in the hope of filling the posts.

Ian said the group could no longer operate with just the cubs as the cost of insurances and registrations was prohibitive.

“Experience has shown that if a scout group closes it doesn’t re-open,” he said.

“The Scout Association could feasibly sell the building if the group closes.”

Ian has been a leader for the past four years and had been a scout when he was young.

The Joeys group for six to eight-year-olds was formed in 1991 and was the first in NSW.

“My youngest son was a lone Joey and basically did it by correspondence,” Ian said.

If the group closed, children would have to travel to Heathcote, Engadine, Bulli or Austinmer to join another group.

Ian said scouts provided children with the opportunity to go camping, abseiling and canoeing as well as learn to live outdoors, cooking pancakes on top of tin cans with candles.

“Two years ago we went to Cataract Dam and had a ball,” he said. “There were 1100 scouts from around NSW and we played monster games like making a human chess board.”

He said the group also participated in the Rise and Shine Council Cleanup and worked with the local land care group where scouts and cubs were able to earn a Water Wise badge by learning about water conservation and how to minimise usage.

Ian said the group needed at least three more leaders to be viable. Becoming a leader involved three weekend training courses and a commitment of at least two hours a week.

The group meets on Wednesday evenings from 6.45pm to 8.15pm at the Scout Hall in Helensburgh.

“People can also become associate leaders where they commit to one, two or three days per month,” he said.

At the moment, cubs are unable to go camping as at least two fully trained leaders are required.

“We’re limited within the curriculum,” he said. “And six cubs should really be in scouts but there’s nowhere for them to go.”

The group was formed in 1914 and celebrated its 90th year last year. It was started by the Anglican Church and operated out of the church for nearly 30 years until the Scout Hall was built.

“It’s hard for me to see how we can continue,” Ian said.

If anyone is able to volunteer to become a scout leader or fill one of the committee positions, please contact Ian on 4294 1965.

Agency positions for future

Patrick McCarthy’s family has operated a real estate business in Helensburgh for more than 35 years and the latest name change - from LJ Hooker to Ray White - signals a determination to remain.

The former Ken McCarthy & Sons operated under the LJ Hooker franchise for 10 years however Patrick said the agency’s vision for the future was better aligned with the Ray White brand.

“It was a big decision for us and it took six months to finalise but we're very excited,” Patrick said.

“Their vision for the future is more in line with where we're going.

“We believe Ray White will offer clients better service in terms of technology, selling techniques and exposure, particularly their access to Australia’s leading websites.”

He said part of the reason for the change was the demand from clients to be listed on domain.com and realestate.com which LJ Hooker does not support.

“In the end, the consumers won out,” Patrick said.

He said Ray White also offered a better career path for agents. “It's a different model as opposed to a wages-style business.

“It’s like the US and Canada where the agents own the clients. You come in on wages and step up to commission. It’s an unlimited career path.”

LJ Hooked is understood to be keen to maintain its presence in Helensburgh and has approached Coastline Real Estate’s John Venn to consider adopting the franchise.

John and his wife Robyn are taking a sabbatical and are still considering the proposal.

Hair Update hangs up the scissors

When Marie Keenan took home $24.95 after three days work, she knew it was time to close her hairdressing business in Stanwell Park.

Marie has operated Hair Update for the past five-and-a-half years but the road closure has severely affected the business and she estimates she is several thousand dollars in the red.

“You keep putting money in each week to keep the business alive and I just can’t do it anymore,” she said.

The collapse is the latest casualty of the Lawrence Hargrave Drive road closure and leaves Stanwell Park without a hairdresser.

The salon employed four part-time and one full-time hairdresser who are now seeking new employment following the salon’s final day on 24 March.

Marie said she felt sorry for the elderly residents of Kennet Homes as the Hair Update staff went there every Tuesday, offering a wash, set and shampoo for $12.

“We did it as a service to the old people and not as a money-making venture,” she said.

The salon’s driers will be donated to the nursing home and other equipment will be sold.

The premises are owned by John Vander of Articles Gallery which leased it to Hair Update on a weekly tenancy.

Marie wished to thank her regular customers and said she would miss their friendly faces.

She will now work at her husband’s electrical business in Kirrawee.

Council asks for redesign of newsagency development

The businessman behind the proposed commercial-residential development on the newsagency site in Stanwell Park said he would have to make the building taller if Wollongong City Council rejected the current site coverage.

Brad Strik, incorrectly identified in the February edition of the Helensburgh & District News as a Chinese national, said this was not his preference but he would have to achieve 1260sq m of internal space for the project to be feasible.

“The 3a zoning means you can build an eight-storey building as there are no literal height limits but we don’t want to scar the landscape,” he said. “It has to be in keeping with the area.”

An informal planning conference convened by Wollongong City Council recently advised Mr Strik and his architects, Conacher Architects, the development would not be approved in its current form.

A council spokesman said it had not been formally rejected but the developer was asked to reconsider the design and resubmit it to council.

“The process then starts over again with public notification and a period for objections,” he said.

Seventy-two objections were received by council and Mr Strik said he had read each of them.

“The main concern is traffic and how the (21) additional car spaces will impact on traffic,” he said. “With 2000 to 4000 cars a day predicted for when Lawrence Hargrave Drive re-opens, it won’t make that much of a difference.

“The traffic is a pre-existing condition and the development won’t have a major impact on what’s there.”

Mr Strik said he could understand how people were sceptical of someone coming from outside the area and proposing an increased use of the site, on the corner of Stanwell Avenue and next to the Stanwell Park Public School.

“You’re dealing with people’s emotions and you don’t want to create any ill-will in the community,” Mr Strik said, adding that he, his wife and young daughter planned to live in one of the units after completion.

“What I’d like to see is people come forward with potential solutions, like boom gates or a mirror, for us to consider.”

The 26-year-old share trader and property investment consultant is a Buddhist and the development is based on feng shui principles.

He said relocating the driveway from Stanwell Avenue would create “a great level of discord for the individuals occupying the building” and he would “rather cut off my arm” than move it.

“Roads have an energy flow according to feng shui principles and sharp angles create a disturbance in the force and lead to low energy events, such as kids falling off skateboards,” Mr Strik said.

“The development will be a smooth line which removes any disturbance.” 

He said he had made a number of non-commercial decisions and had sacrificed potential profit to get the feng shui right.

“I could have had 27 car spaces but there’s only 21,” he said. “I’ve sacrificed other things to make sure it’s in balance with everything else.”

Movie star with his feet on the ground

When Stanwell Tops resident and prolific letter writer Alan Richard Bond appears in the upcoming Superman movie being filmed in Sydney, it will have particular poignancy for the former cinema operator.

As the manager of the Burrill Lake Theatre, Alan screened the first release in Australia of Superman – the Movie starring the late Christopher Reeve for Village Roadshow.

“It will be a buzz,” said Alan who has appeared as an extra in Mission Impossible II, Moulin Rouge, the Man Who Sued God and Mel Gibson’s The Three Stooges.

He also appears the in an ad for the Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation where butchers wearing aprons dance down the street Hare Krishna-style.

“I’m the passerby who does a little dance,” he says proudly.

Alan got into the movie business after he retired from the printing trade with “a few shackles up my sleeve” and a determination to enjoy life for a while.

He has rubbed shoulders with the screen’s luminaries, including Toni Collette, Bryan
Brown, John Goodman, Judy Davis, Nicole Kidman (twice), Billy Connelly and Colin Friels.

He was dressed in top hat and tails for the dance scene in Moulin Rouge where Nicole Kidman sings Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend but couldn’t find himself among the crowd in the final edit. He also appeared alongside Ms Kidman in her television ad for Chanel No.5.

He is more obvious in Mission Impossible II where he can be seen exiting Governor Macquarie Tower in the city behind actor Brendan Gleeson.

“I think the only reason you see me is because I’m so tall,” he said.

Alan has been involved in movies on the other side of the lens since the mid-1970s and recently completed a documentary on the Burrill Lake Theatre, titled the Magic Lantern.

He has entered it in the Dendy Short Awards, the National Trust Heritage Awards and the Sydney Film Festival which will be judged mid year.

“It’s the only footage of the cinema in existence as it’s no longer there,” he said.

For more information, visit www.magiclantern.net.au.

Neighbourhood the apple of Pauline’s eye

Growing up in Yorkshire, Pauline Lacelles-Smith lived with her parents above their fish and chip shop and across the road from a coal mound.

Forty years later, the newly elected convenor of Neighbourhood Committee 1 and owner of the Otford Apple Pie Shop still has coal trucks rumbling past her house but the cooking smells have improved dramatically.

The tempting aroma of baked apple pie fills the Smith household - but only on weekends as Pauline and her accountant husband Glenn decided long ago that “we would run the business and not let the business run us”.

“The kids were more important,” she said.

Pauline came to Australia as a “10-pound Pom” in 1973 after several years of running restaurants in London and Jersey in the Channel Islands.

Her parents eventually followed and they actually ran the Apple Pie Shop before Pauline and Glenn took it over in 1981.

Pauline first became involved in the Neighbourhood Committee after a development was proposed for the coal site directly opposite her property.

“I didn’t even realise what the Neighbourhood Committee was until this development proposal came up that seemed inappropriate on unstable ground.”

The development went all the way to the Land and Environment Court and was eventually rejected but not before Pauline and other concerned residents had formed the Otford Protection Society.

“Many people were concerned that if the zoning was broken, Otford would lose its unique character,” she said.

“This whole area of Stanwell Park, Stanwell Tops, Otford, Helensburgh and Darkes Forest is an isolated community yet is unique, having a ‘country’ feeling while being close to the ocean and Sydney.”

Pauline started attending Neighbourhood Committee meetings about three years ago, describing it as a catalyst for people to voice their opinions and get through to council.

“It’s for people to let council know what they want,” she said. “Instead of everyone working individually, it’s a conduit between the community and council.”

The meetings, held on the last Tuesday of the month at the Helensburgh Community Centre at 7.30pm, are addressed by a police representative on recent incidents and sometimes a council officer about a particular development or initiative. The committee considers the works program and puts forward requests to prioritise certain projects.

At the moment development applications no longer come through Neighbourhood Committees, however Councillors Dave Martin and Alice Cartan recently put forward a proposal to Council to have this decision rescinded.

“Every Neighbourhood Committee in Wollongong is unhappy with this change to Council’s notification policy,” said Pauline.

Apart from her committee work and the running of the café/take-away business, Pauline is also involved in tennis and is the treasurer of the Otford Tennis Club and Vice President of the Bulli & District mid-week tennis.

 “You only get out of something what you put into it,” she said.

Hooligans vandalise pool

Vandals broke into the Helensburgh Pool in the early hours on 13 March, slicing one of the blanket covers and leaving two beer kegs in the pool.

Lifeguard Dennis Brooks (pictured) said he discovered the damage when he arrived for work on Sunday morning.

“They’ve pulled apart the chain wire fence and got in that way,” he said.

The Aquatic Services director with Wollongong City Council, Peter Wilson, said the damaged blanket would cost between $8000 and $12,000 to replace.

“They’re high grade, commercial quality made in New Zealand,” he said.

It would take up to eight weeks for a new one to be made.

“It’s just senseless vandalism,” Peter said.

Anyone with information on the crime should contact Helensburgh Police on 4294 1013.

Mummy mafia celebrates new playground

People power and the relentless efforts of two Helensburgh mums has led to the early opening of a new playground in Charles Harper Park.

The playground was opened in late March and, although Wollongong City Council had planned to build it as part of its capital works program, it was not scheduled for completion for another few years.

Gina Krohn and Stefanie Wells formed the Playground Action Group early last year and lobbied council to bring the works forward.

“It was fortunate that we got moving before the last (council) election,” said Gina who singled out Cr Alice Cartan for her efforts in bringing the playground to fruition.

“A big thank you to Cr Cartan as she was behind it all the way,” Gina said.

The $110 000 playground was supplied and installed by Unanderra firm, Moduplay.

It includes “softfall” installation, monkey bars, slides, a rock climbing wall, swings and a modern version of a see-saw.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Cr Alex Darling said the playground was certain to be well used in the town’s centrepiece park.

“The community has told us the park requires work to bring it up to standard and the installation of this equipment is our first move toward meeting the community’s expectation of facilities on par with the rest of the city,” Cr Darling said.

“I thank the local community for their input into the design and look forward to their comments on the finished result, and I also thank Ward 1 Councillor Alice Cartan for her active involvement in helping residents bring the new playground to Helensburgh.”

Deputy Lord Mayor, Kiril Jonovski, said residents in all areas of the city deserved equal access to quality facilities and that he was pleased to see the Helensburgh project was the first of many more playground upgrades this year.

“Our parks and reserves are fundamental to the leisure time of local residents and as such we have an obligation to keep them and their infrastructure in top shape,” Cr Jonovski said.

“Council staff work hard to ensure residents and visitors can enjoy our many public spaces and I am sure the installation of new playgrounds for children will add to the enjoyment.”

Ray swings into the good life

For a song writer, Ray Beadle reckons he’s not much of a story teller.

Yet the Helensburgh acoustic guitarist has managed to put together some pretty powerful lyrics on his second album, The Good Life.

“Everything on The Good Life really happened to me,” he said.

Like love, loss and friendship.

“I don’t remember much; After she left that night; I’ll never forget the way she moved just right; How could I let her slip through my hands; I’m telling you boys, she left a broken man,” he sings on Broken Man.

The loss of his keyboardist and friend Steve Blue to cancer five months ago is something he has yet to tackle in his lyrics but plans to in the future.

Ray said he writes the music first and then adds the lyrics.

“I don’t know if that’s different to the way other people do it,” he said. “That’s the way it works for me.”

He describes his style as “jump swing” and lists his primary influences as Albert King, Jimmy Vaughan and Robert Cray.

“I did a gig last September where I supported him (Cray) at the Enmore as a solo guitarist,” said Ray proudly.

His parents both played guitar and Ray started when he was nine, playing with the Four Day Riders and “gigging” when he was just 15.

“It was the university of the blues,” he said.

Ray plans to produce another CD this year and says it will be more Chicago Blues as he’s a bit “swung out”.

“It will be about women, drinking and partying – the good times,” he said.

Ray Beadle plays solo at the Centennial Hotel on 29 April.

Life is tops at The Tops

By Bronwyn McGrath

Would you balance on top of a 10m high pole and jump 9m to a trapeze bar? How about dropping from a 15m height and then massive cables swing you across the valley?

Orienteering, abseiling, archery, climbing, mountain biking and team games, it’s all happening at Stanwell Tops. The second largest conference centre of its kind in NSW is right on our doorstep attracting people from all over Australia and overseas to experience the challenging instructor-led activities.

The Tops Conference Centre is on 200 acres of bushland and can accommodate up to 500 people. This quiet achiever is doing great business, hosting an average of 200 people per day for group conferences and events.

The Churches of Christ bought the land at Stanwell Tops in December 1970 for use as a campsite. Since then they have spent $9 million improving the site, only to have the centre almost burnt to the ground in the December 2001 bushfires.

The Tops Conference Centre was closed for three months and re-opened for limited business. It wasn’t until August 2003 that the centre was fully up and running and renamed from Churches of Christ Conference Centre to The Tops Conference Centre.

According to the centre’s director, David Tomlin, the name change simplified what was a “bit of a mouthful”.

“We are unashamedly a Christian organisation but you don’t have to be a religious group to use our centre.” David said.

“Providing each group respects other guests and our neighbours, we are happy to cater for anyone.” 

David Tomlin took on the role of Director of the Centre more than six years ago in what he describes as a “lifestyle change”. He is a qualified accountant and is on the Board of Directors of the Churches of Christ.

David’s pride in his staff is evident. He also highlights the centre’s facilities, heritage environment, programs and chef-driven catering.

He adopts a very hands-on approach when it comes to managing the centre, meeting guests and personally organising one of the centre’s most successful outreach camps, the Southern Cross Kids Camp for young people who are victims of abuse. The centre totally funds this week-long camp, providing an amazing entertainment program in addition to on-site psychologist, nurse and one-on-one child/volunteer staff ratio.

“It is just fantastic to see these caseworker kids who have come from pretty heavy backgrounds get the chance to laugh and have fun,” David said.

His wife Tammy also runs programs at the centre and his two children, four-year-old Georgia and seven-year-old Sam love to visit Dad at work because the centre not only caters for adults but is a children’s paradise.

According to David, 35 percent of the groups that use the centre are schools looking for an outdoor education experience. Churches and religious organisations make up approximately 30-40 percent and the remainder are corporate and community groups.

“We have certainly had some memorable groups utilise the centre,” he said.

“As one of the SOCOG venues we hosted The Awakenings Group of 500 indigenous performers featured in the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

“Some of these people had never travelled outside their own areas before and were totally unnerved by the city, so our centre’s bushland setting was ideal.”

Another highlight was the Small People’s Conference.  David is just less than 6ft tall so meeting 80 adults under 4ft was a unique experience.

“I was really impressed by their positive outlook on life and fantastic humour,” he said. “They loved to laugh at themselves and their attitude was really inspiring.

 “Corporate groups like Ansto, Sanitarium and the Commonwealth Bank like the centre as it is outside the city and away from the normal working and living environment of delegates, allowing groups to focus on achieving specific outcomes whether it be strategic planning, team building or training.” 

As to the future of the centre, David says there are no plans for expansion and his focus is on continuous improvement.

“I am very happy with where we are and who are,” he said. “We provide meaningful employment for local residents and our service and facilities are excellent. The future for us is about continuously improving the programs we offer, such as developing environmental education programs that feature our fantastic property, particularly the heritage sites we have here such as the Hanging Swamp.

“We are also very sensitive to the local community’s needs and recognise that our property is a much-loved part of the area, open for residents to enjoy. We work with local schools who can trial our activities at no cost and we have provided meeting venues free of charge to local community groups.

“We respect the land that our centre is on and we respect the local communities that live around us.”

If you would like to find out more about The Tops Conference Centre visit www.thetops.com.au

Fete to support breast cancer

The third annual Joanne McKay Breast Cancer Foundation fund-raising fete will be held on Saturday, 30 April, at her parent’s house in Stanwell Tops.

Maureen and Jim Eades set up the foundation after they lost their daughter to the disease and the funds raised go towards other sufferers and their families.

The fete will be held from 10am to 2pm and will feature crafts, a white elephant stall, Devonshire teas and cakes, a sausage sizzle, plants, ice creams and sweets.

Short massages will be available on the day as will photography sessions.

A mountain bike will be raffled at the fete at 18 Longview Crescent, Stanwell Tops.

www.nio.net.au/stanwellpark/joshelpinghand

School News

Helensburgh Public School (with pic)

Great things have been happening recently at Helensburgh Public. The previously hidden talents of many parents and carers were revealed at our Easter Hat parade where K-2 displayed some truly amazing headwear.  The colours were wonderful, the designs creative and the children looked and felt fantastic.

The parade was followed by a concert with the theme Memories where the classes performed to a proud audience of parents and friends.

St Patrick’s Day was celebrated on 16 March with students wearing green (of course!) and munching their way through a delicious array of green ice-creams, jellies and other treats. As well as being great fun, the day was an important part of our multicultural studies.

Mrs Hanley and Mr Lynch have been overseeing the enthusiastic efforts of Years 4-6 in BlueScope Park. The students’ ideas have been incorporated into the planning of BlueScope and future developments in the area include the creation of a bog-pond, growing native foods, renewing the bush corridor and extending the walking-trail. Thanks to BlueScope Steel, Mitre 10, and our P&C for the water tank. Special thanks to Peter Nolan for his invaluable advice in the selection of plants for the Habitat Ponds.

Finally, congratulations to Jennifer Weetman, Carly Perrin, David Perrin, Tamara Wilkinson and Courtney Malone for their outstanding performances at the recent Engadine Zone Carnival. These students will represent our school at the Sydney East PSSA Swimming Carnival in late March. We are very proud of their achievements so far and wish them every success at the PSSA.

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Stanwell Park Public School

Year 5 and 6 have been very busy completing their Peer Support training course. This course will prepare our school leaders for the task of leading the K-4 students in the Peer Support Program to be conducted next term.

A special two-night camp was held at the Bulli Caravan Park and was an ideal location for the training activities.

This time of year is extremely busy for District Trials in a variety of sports. Many thanks to the parents who continue to provide transport for the students involved.

Our school website is planned for launch in early Term 2. The website will be an alternative form of communication with our parents and community.

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Otford Public School News

Year 5 and 6 visited Minnamurra Rainforest because we were learning about the structure and growth of rainforests.  At the end of a long and tiring walk, we came to a magnificent waterfall which was well worth seeing.
Sharon Bird came to our school on Thursday, 3 March, to present us with an Australian flag for our new flagpole. We all asked questions and a kindergarten girl asked whether she could have a small Australian flag. The next day four small flags came by Express Post; one was given to the young girl and the other three to the students who helped raise the flag.
Every Monday for six weeks we go to the tennis courts in Otford for sport.
Our coach’s name is Jamie and he is very kind and encouraging. He teaches us
all the basic moves and skills and everyone is improving.
Our school participated in the Schools Clean Up Day, which was a part of
Clean Up Australia Day. We collected rubbish from around our school and in
Otford. In groups, we took garbage bags and were amazed at the amount and
types of litter we found.
Everybody in our school is participating in the Premier’s Reading Challenge.
We were given a list of books. We have to read 15 from the list and another five that we like. Everyone has been enjoying the challenge so far.
Written by Marcus Lenz, Emily Mitchell and Connor McGeachie

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St John Bosco College

Welcome to our very first article published in the Helensburgh & District News. We have quite a number of students here at St John Bosco College who live in Helensburgh, Stanwell Park and surrounding areas. So we thought readers may like to know a little bit about what happens at our College.

Our annual Swimming Carnival was held on 15 February and was a true celebration of sporting talent and school spirit. Thanks are due to the College Staff for their support of the event and to the Sports and PDHPE teachers for their planning and organisation of the day.  The “House” winners were:  1st Savio; 2nd Mackillop; 3rd Chisholm; 4th Dunlea. 

Several initiatives have been introduced around the curriculum area, the most noticeable being the Year 11 “GROW” (glossary, research and organised writing) program/workshops. Students are finding the workshops very beneficial and thanks are extended to Ms Gant, Mrs Langdon and Mrs Markham for the facilitation of this program.

Our Year 8 and Year 10 students will participate in their Camp and Retreat respectively after Easter, and this is always a time which is enjoyed, and remembered fondly, by staff and students.  Also, our Year 12 students will be preparing for their half-yearly exams and we wish them well as they work towards this.

We look forward to sharing more news with you in future editions and for now, may we wish you all, our staff, students and families, a happy, safe and Holy Easter.

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School readiness – what is it all about?

At Gumtrees Preschool & Long Day Care Centre, we are regularly asked by parents “How can I help my child get ready for school?” or “What is involved in your School Readiness Program?”

For most teachers, social and self-care skills are the key to a positive start in kindergarten and should be given careful consideration when thinking about whether to send a child to school or hold hem back.

Below is a brief description of some of the indicators in each of the major developmental areas. This should be used as a guide only – there are many more.

Self Care Skills

Your child needs to be able to go to the toilet by themselves, put on a jumper and take off their shoes and socks, follow a daily routine and be able to pen their bag and get their belongings in and out, including opening glad-wrapped sandwiches.

Social/Language Skills

It is really important that your child can listen to short stories without interruption, wait their turn and concentrate/attend to the task at hand.

Your child should be able to produce understandable speech and be able to follow simple instructions.

Your child should also be able to share toys and play co-operatively with other children.

Cognitive (Thinking)

Your child should be able to recognize their name as well as the letters of the alphabet, recognise similarities and differences in objects, retell a simple story and recognize simple shapes and copy them.

Your child should also be able to count to 10 and recognise numerals 1-10.

Motor Skills

Your child needs to have good strength and co-ordination of their fingers so they can cut along a line holding scissors correctly, hold their pencil with the correct grip and be able to colour in simple pictures.

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Fiona hunts down medals

By Jenelle McWilliam, Coalcliff Surf Club

2004 State saw our largest masters team compete, and this year saw our smallest. Our Masters Golden Girl Fiona Hunt flew the Coalcliff flag.

After a suspect meal at the local bowlo, three of our competitors were slow to start, including Grant Smith who was competing in his first State.

Michael Guyatt was firing in the flags, with such a high standard of competitors he had one slow turn and gained a fifth.

Fiona started off slow, as husband Peter said: “She swam like an old woman.”

She placed fourth and was a real wake-up call for her. In the Tube she picked up gold and was as fired up as ever. She then followed with a gold in the Board, crossing the line 16 seconds ahead of second place.

To finish off the day on a high, she gained gold in the Iron Woman.

Callum Guyatt also competed in the State titles.

The S.L.S. Australian Titles shortly followed state, where Fiona and Peter Hunt travelled to Queensland for Fiona’s first Aussies.  The 3ft swell was choppy, full of rips and changing constantly. In one heat competitors were swept north, the next heat the swimmers were swept south, very hard surf to read. 

The seas weren’t kind to Fiona in her favourite event, the Board Paddle, coming in 7th after all the local girls.

The Surf Swim was to be Fiona’s personal best swim, coming in third: “Great an Aussie Bronze!”

Our high was to be quickly deflated after the Tube Swim, where Fiona took out third place easily. While on the can, she noticed the IRB person wasn’t looking her way when she signaled first so Fiona signaled again, unfortunately touching the can rope.  He disqualified her and was not prepared to enter into any discussion. This disappointment was not to deter her and Fiona gave her all in the Iron Woman race. Looking fatigued at the start of the second leg, she held her position coming in for her third 3rd place.

Fiona will be back fitter and more determined in 2006, training for buoy mounting in the off season.

Congratulations Fiona! Three gold state medals and two bronze Australian SLS medals.