Service

Service MS CATRINA SHARP, DEPUTY PRINCIPAL/HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

I will hold my hand out to you and speak the peace you long to hear.

‘The Servant Song’ by Richard Gillard

Serving others is at the heart of our College’s Christian calling. Seen in the everyday and well beyond, our community is purposeful in reaching out to others, instilling the importance of understanding and empathy in the girls and encouraging a responsive approach to life. The College reaches out to those we call friends, and extends care to those not known to us personally, but who may need special care.

The College Interact Club Board, headed by President and Prefect for Service, Ila Torrance, led many activities which raised awareness and funds to support a variety of organisations. The following groups were among those supported by the club: Queensland Medical Research Institute; Rosies Friends on the Street; Drought Angels; our three young international sponsor children and our newest friend – an Indigenous child from Queensland.

The Senior Leaders of 2019 formed a compassionate yet driven team of participants in the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave Campaign, known affectionately as Shave for A Cure. Raising in excess of $60,000, the girls were thrilled to know a sum such as this would, by example, allow a family to enjoy accommodations close to medical care, for up to two years. With this came the recognition that the Fairholme Team raised the most money in Queensland and the thirdhighest figure by a group in Australia. The Great Stationery Race proved to be a very successful Term 4 PCG challenge. Thousands of items were donated by our girls to ensure that our young friends from Rosies were able to gather all that they need for a timely return to school in 2020.

Giving voice and honouring others is at the heart of service. Consequently, a committee of girls teamed with the Interact Club to host a most successful NAIDOC week program. The team hosted guests from other schools and associations, held games on the oval, taught us about the importance and meaning behind traditional meals, activities and the ritual of face painting. A hearty traditional lunch was provided for the Middle and Senior School. Racheal and Janae also presented Dr Evans with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags, now displayed appropriately and proudly in the College Assembly Hall.

OUR VALUED LOCAL CONNECTIONS

The Year 11 program included two Mornings of Service, where the girls engaged with a variety of local groups. The girls support such enterprises as Baked Relief, BUPA and Lourdes Nursing Homes, Zonta, Cobb & Co, Toowoomba City Library, in addition to spending time caring for animals impacted by the drought conditions and fires in late 2019.

Year 10 and 11 girls were again offered the opportunity to serve young migrant students in Toowoomba, by supporting their regular homework activities. Led by Mrs Jaye Ross, it was clear that the joy of friendship quickly enriched these regular learning sessions.

We have worked with Rosies Friends on the Street for almost three years now. Monthly visits to support our Rosies friends are important; we value the company of our Rosies companions a great deal. In addition to our regular time together, the girls in the Middle and Senior Schools donated to our annual Christmas Hamper collection which went to support Rosies families so they too were able to share special meals together with their own families at Christmas.

In September, a group of Year 11 girls supported young children with special needs over the four days of the annual Sony Foundation Holiday Camp. Four Year 12 girls assisted in leading the larger Year 11 group of carers. The lessons in selflessness, unconditional love, humility and joy have no doubt changed the lives of our girls irreversibly.

Selfless gestures are part of daily life; considered and intentional care of others is cultural.