De La Salle Visits Green Hills

St Vincent De Paul Society

The year for the St Vincent De Paul group started on a very enthusiastic note with well over 15 members from Years 10, 11 and 12 attending. The group met weekly through most of the year in Room 402. The group generated many ideas and this gave us hope and an insight into what the year to come would be like. The general aim of the group this year was to promote the values and ideals of the Society and to give as many people as we could the opportunity to become actively involved. Early on in the year the group decided to place an emphasis on volunteering at the Collingwood Soup Van which is organised by St Vincent De Paul and based in the Senior Citizens centre at the back of the Collingwood Town Hall. Students have been attending on Sunday nights in pairs or threes and sometimes with parents and friends. The De La presence has been appreciated with approximately 20 members attending one or more times through the year while another 10 students have also attended. Some students have attended more frequently which has been commendable. For most volunteers, the Sunday evening has been a real eye-opener into the lives of those living in the Collingwood area and the High Rise accommodation. It gave each one a chance to make a difference. Along with awareness raising, fundraising was a major priority. The group has raised most of its funds through the sale of photographs from the Yr 12 Formal. A half-court basketball challenge was fun to watch but did not raise much money. Other proposals ran into difficulties.

In May six Year 12s and one Yr 11 student attended the annual St Vincent de Paul student conference held at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Bentleigh. Lectures and many workshops gave us a keen insight into what work was done by a fulltime volunteer as well as with many ideas in helping to fight poverty in our community and around the world. As well as promoting greater involvement in Mission Action Day, St Vincent de Paul also prepared posters for the Malvern Emergency Food appeal and spoke at assemblies in support of the appeal which Kinnoull campus has contributed to over the past decade. More Back Row: Timothy Krezel, Ben Anstey, Patrick Roberts, Craig Almeida, Mr Graeme Lawler than 1300 items were Middle Row: Danny Lawlor, Seamus Scanlon, Jonathon Mathews, Alex Phillipos, donated along with Carey Watkins a cheque for $240. Front Row: Sam Williams, Adrian Hulston, Kevin Walker, Ben Dwyer, Patrick Suhodobnik, The food packages Nathan Harris are prepared by another volunteer committee and are distributed to the financial matters when they arose.I would also needy couples and young people with disabilities in like to thank Mr Lawler for always providing support Malvern and adjacent suburbs. As in previous years and help in whatever venture the group undertook. the College community came together and gave Without him the year would surely have been a generously. struggle. My sincere thanks are extended to the members With many of the 2005 group being Year 11 students, who have worked consistently and with dedication. I am sure that they will continue to assist the Their help and support has been nothing short community in 2006. Finally, I would like to encourage of fantastic. Special thanks to our committee all students to join the work of St Vincent De Paul. members: Craig Almeida, our vice-president, for It is a great cause and everyone’s effort will help to his enthusiastic support; Seamus Scanlon, our make a real difference. secretary, who was always organised and willing to help; Adrian Hulston, our treasurer, for handling Jonathon Matthews, President