OBA President’s Message

In honouring around 1000 alumni who served in overseas wars, the School acknowledged what that service meant for our nation. I was honoured to represent the alumni community and want to recognise the incredible words offered by the School’s student leaders in honouring those who had fallen in defence of Australia.

The ANZAC commemoration also provided an opportunity to recognise the service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and servicewomen. As the nation considers a proposal to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Constitution it was appropriate to reflect on the contribution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have made to our ANZAC history and as part of the Barker Community. I look forward to talking to our members more about the Voice proposal in the lead up to our Annual General Meeting.

The OBA’s Mentoring and Networking program continues to move from strength to strength. We have had an incredible response to our call out for mentors and mentees and we are looking forward to building these relationships that enhance the connection members have with each other. The sheer range of professions represented is testament to the strength of our alumni network. Those who attended our networking event heard from some of our alumni about their careers and got the chance to build their network with other alumni. We are looking forward to hosting more of these in coming months.

The OBA is exploring ways we can offer events that are interesting to our members. In addition to our networking events, we will be hosting our annual Golf

Day and Back to Barker events, with more to come on what we are hoping to offer those interested in coming back to support Barker’s sports teams and attend reunions. As always – let us know if you have ideas on what we could be delivering for you!

I would like to acknowledge the impact cost of living pressures have had on our community, including those within the Barker community. The OBA is committed to ensuring it is providing as much support as it can to our members. Our Support for Life program is free to members and provides access to specialist counselling support for those who need a bit of help in dealing with issues in their lives or the lives of loved ones. I encourage anyone needing help in dealing with stress to reach out to our Support for Life program.

I must finish on a sad note as I reflect on the passing of Tony Gamson (78). Tony was a titan of the Barker Community. He was a lifelong and passionate advocate for Barker and the OBA – an unstoppable force for good who made significant contributions through his time as a student, parent, School Council member and his leadership of the OBA as President. Tony has left an indelible mark on the Barker Community, particularly as a tireless advocate for the School's building program, coeducation and having the alumni community at the centre of the School. Our thoughts are with Tony's wife Meegan and son Jordan (17) at this time. We will miss him as a friend, mentor and advocate for all things Barker.

Angus Abadee (07) OBA President