Mail - Mt Evelyn Mail - 05th November 2013

Mount Evelyn

5 Tuesday, 5 November, 2013

Anti-violence flash mob

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Phone: 9751 9300 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808

President of Mount Evelyn RSL Roger Boness shows where the five rose bushes have been taken from. 109457

Picture: REBECCA BILLS

■ RSL slams thieves’ disrespect for ultimate sacrifice...

Rose theft thorn

By REBECCA BILLS A DELIBERATE and planned assault on the Mount Evelyn RSL Community Garden has left the community outraged.

Five specially cultivated Returned and Services League (RSL) rose bushes were stolen last Monday night with Mount Evelyn RSL President Roger Boness waking to calls from furious community members.

He labelled those responsible as disrespectful and said he believed it was a deliberate and planned assault on the garden.

Mr Boness said the recently re-

landscaped memorial garden was a place of solitude and remembrance for the lost and fallen soldiers who have served the country.

Sales of the regal burgundy and soft amber rose bushes assisted the RSL to promote and sustain service to veterans and their families across the nation.

“This place has now become a community place of reflection and people sit quietly here and remember those who have served,” he said.

“It is really disrespectful for anyone to interfere with a sacred place like this.

“It’s just so sad.”

Mr Boness said it is not just the RSL that is upset but all the commu-

nity, with people aghast that someone has stolen such a significant plant.

“We are shattered, the roses had just been put in,” he said.

Mount Evelyn police Sergeant Craig Keithley said police had been unable to find the culprits so far and said the theft was disappointing.

He said while police were still investigating, it would be difficult to find those responsible given that the garden was situated away from homes, businesses and CCTV. “With the memorial gardens such a focus in the town, this kind of act affects everybody,” he said.

“It is a place of reflection and peo-

ple have their own ways of paying respect to the fallen.

“It is a peaceful, pleasant place to do that in and we want to keep it pristine.”

Gardener for the Yarra Ranges Council Ritchie Donald said it is always disappointing to hear community places being vandalised, especially at such a sacred memorial.

“They were only put in a few months ago and it is my understanding that we are currently working on getting replacement roses for the garden,” he said. Mr Donald said he was unsure how much thefts would cost the council but said it was important to ensure the garden is maintained and

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the roses were replaced quickly.

Yarra Ranges Council spokeswoman Tracey Varley said it was a low act and the council was disappointed to see and hear of this sort of behaviour going on in the community.

The concept of the rose stems from an idea of the late Robert ‘Bob’ Brown who was a long term member of the RSL with the initiative to cultivate the rose taken up by the Morwell RSL community which has been the backbone of the project.

Anyone with information about the stolen RSL rose bushes should call the Mount Evelyn Police Station on 9736 2473.

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Page 2 Tuesday, 5 November, 2013

Connecting people and communities MTE

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BELGRAVE resident Sarah Fountain and her family are currently first time carers for Seeing Eye Dogs Australia (SEDA) puppy Emma.

Volunteering their time and home for puppy-in-training Emma, Ms Fountain said it has been the best and most rewarding decision for her family to welcome the new member.

“For us, the children hadn’t had a pet for a few years so you have to think will they be responsible for it, will they care for it and will they keep their promises to care for it,” she said.

“It probably sounds a little bit selfish because we were in the position where we had travelled a lot and didn’t want to take on a pet thinking we would have to have it long term.

“However it has turned out really brilliantly for us because the boys adore her, they have lots of energy and Emma has lots of energy too.”

Ms Fountain and her four children spend a lot of time looking after Emma and teaching her basic obedience lessons.

“They actually think she is breaking all the golden retriever moulds as she is just showing such incredible traits,” she said.

“She is actually a very calm dog when you compare her with some of the other seeing eye dogs in the training.

“The dogs are meant to be quite desensitised, so we expose Emma to as many outside influences as we can to observe how they react.”

Carer Sarah Fountain with sons Hugo (11) and Will (14) with seeing eye dog in training Emma. 109334 Picture: REBECCA BILLS After seeing an advertisement in a newspaper, Ms Fountain said the family decided to apply for a seeing eye dog to give back to a greater good.

“It is really striking to see how intelligent these dogs are and how helpful they are,” she said.

“You are not just selfishly putting into these dogs for your own pleasures, it is part of a much bigger picture that it is contributing to.”

Ms Fountain’s son Will said

welcoming Emma into the family has been a good exercise and it has been rewarding watching all the hard work they put into training her paying off.

It costs $30,000 to raise and train just one seeing eye dog and with a year-long wait list, there is increasing demand for the service. Those who are interested in becoming a puppy carer or who would like to find out more about Seeing Eye Dogs Australia can visit www.seda.org.au or call 1800 037 773.

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Connecting people and communities

Tuesday, 5 November, 2013 Page 3

Girlfriends get together

By MELISSA MEEHAN SISTERS are doing it for themselves.

Grade six students at Mount Evelyn Primary School have spent term four taking part in the Girlfriends Group program aimed at building self-esteem and friendships between the students.

Organised by the acting assistant principal Helen Basham, the program brought a number of incursions into the school as well as guest speakers on topics the girls said they were interested in.

The school’s community engagement co-ordinator Nicky Condello said that there has been a noticeable improvement in self-esteem from all the girls who have taken part in the program.

One student, Emma, said she

really enjoyed the yoga incursion and said she thought the relaxation techniques would help her when she starts high school next year.

She said she also made some wonderful new friendships through being part of the group.

On Thursday the girls came together in the kitchen, baking for the next day’s Tasty Treats stall fundraiser that would see all money raised go to Relay for Life.

They needed to organise, manage and plan the stall and were even able to get the local IGA in Mount Evelyn to donate the ingredients.

Ms Condello said the girls had grown so much in the program and given its success the school plans to continue it next year.

“It’s real life skill learning, and it’s fun,” Ms Condello said.

Holiday homes hit

Riley-May, Alanah, Merinda, Namthip and Rickeylee get their hands dirty in the kitchen.

Picture: DONNA OATES

OLINDA police are calling on residents to keep an eye out for suspicious behaviour following burglaries at two holiday homes in the town over the past month.

Leading Senior Constable Tim Wall said police were investigating a burglary in the unoccupied house off Hacketts Road in Olinda.

He said it was believed that thieves entered the home by forcing entry at the rear basement door some time during October. A whipper snipper and brush cutter were stolen worth $1200.

“We think that those involved may have been watching the house in the lead up to the burglary and driven past a number of times,” Ldg Sen Const Wall said.

Last week the Mail reported that police were unsure if any items were stolen from a house on the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road.

It is believed the house was broken into between 9am and 10.30am between 23 October and 26 October through the back door of the property, before drawers and cupboards were opened.

Leading Sen Const Wall said it was important for residents to call Olinda police if they noticed any suspicious behaviour in the area.

Bed and breakfast arrest

Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe, Yarra Ranges councillor Samantha Dunn, Premier Denis Napthine, Eastern Victoria Region MP Edward O’Donohue, Monbulk Ranges Soccer Club chairman Lisa Soolan and mayor Jim Child with excited players from the club.

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Christine

Fyffe MP Member for Evelyn

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A 23-YEAR-OLD Narre Warren woman will be charged with deception and other unrelated offences after staying at an Olinda B&B and leaving without paying as well as using a fake identity.

Olinda Leading Senior Constable Tim Wall said the woman had booked in and stayed a night at the B&B where she partied with a friend before leaving without paying on 25 October.

“It was clear that she had no intention to pay and we now know she was doing credit card deceptions in Narre Warren,” Leading Sen Const Wall said.

The woman will be charged on summons with a court date to be fixed.

Mount Evelyn

to happen but we just kept saying ‘yes it will,’ as there is a demand and a need for it.”

Ms Fyffe said the soccer centre is the latest in a long list of Coalition Government investments into Yarra Ranges sporting facilities.

“Whether you call it soccer or football, it is a great way to stay fit, have fun and socialise,” she said.

“From Mooroolbark to Monbulk and beyond, football has become very popular amongst people of all ages.

“This is great news for football fans and for the Monbulk community.”

The centre will aid in growing numbers at the club and also attract regional events including the FFV Summer Competition, Australian Christian Football titles, and the state and national titles in the coming years.

1098738-LN44-13

SOCCER enthusiasts across the Yarra Ranges are one step closer to be able to emulate their ALeague heroes after a $650,000 announcement last week.

The Victorian Coalition Government will provide the money to develop stage one of the new $9.8 million regional soccer hub on Emerald Road, Monbulk, to be known as the Yarra Ranges Regional Soccer Centre.

Works are due to begin later this month.

Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child welcomed Premier Denis Napthine to the site of the proposed centre for the announcement on Monday last week with Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe and Eastern Victoria Region MP Edward O’Donohue.

Mr Napthine said the world game is one of the fastest growing sports anywhere in Australia, including Victoria.

“Our philosophy as a government is we want more people, more active, more often and that’s people who are juniors right through to the senior players,” he said.

“This will results in a healthier and much better community.”

Stage one developments of the site will commence shortly and will deliver two new synthetic pitches, training lights, a new pavilion, change room facilities and a car park.

Dr Napthine said the government is very pleased to be

able to assist in making sure people can participate in these important activities in the community.

“I know that the Yarra Ranges Council is one that rolls up its sleeves and gets the job done,” he said.

“This is a great project that involves the local council, the federal government and the state government working together.

“I know that the Monbulk Ranges Soccer Club will benefit enormously by this facility, but it’s not just about the Monbulk Ranges, it’s about the growing community for people who are interested in soccer.”

Dr Napthine thanked the funding partners in the $9.8 million project that includes Yarra Ranges Shire Council for its contribution of more than $7.1 million and the Commonwealth Government for its $2 million commitment.

Chairman of the Monbulk Ranges Soccer Club Lisa Doolan said the planning of the regional soccer centre started about seven years ago as the club kept growing and expanding.

“Especially with the World Cup at the moment we get more and more children wanting to play soccer,” she said.

“We are a club of around 650 people now with around 40 teams so we are just bursting at the seams and this is just such an exciting project.

“There were times we thought maybe it wasn’t going

Arrest over 1984 kidnap KNOX Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT) detectives have arrested a man following an historical abduction and sexual assault.

A 16-year-old boy was allegedly abducted from the Heatherdale Railway Station between February and September in 1984. A 60-year-old man was arrested on Friday in Ferntree Gully.

The Ferntree Gully man is expected to be charged on summons with kidnapping, false imprisonment, attempted rape and other related offences.

Cash kick-off for the world game

By REBECCA BILLS

Briefly

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MTE

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