TRAK Chat

I hope that all Collegians and their families managed to remain safe and well during 2020 and are looking forward to what the rest of 2021 will bring.

Over the past year, the Collegians Committee are proud to have helped our community connect and grow with the below initiatives:

• we issued three financial grants to Collegians undertaking entrepreneurial endeavours, as part of our Collegians Grants program

• we officially launched the Hamilton Society in support of Collegians who wish to acknowledge Toorak College by way of a bequest

• we facilitated powerful career inspiration and advice between alumni and students as part of our Empower Network initiative

• we commenced digitising the entire Toorak College photographic and editorial collection with a new online platform to be made accessible to all Collegians in 2021

• with assistance from the Young Alumni Advisory Group, we ran a six week online engagement program ‘Keeping Collegians Connected’, aimed at supporting young Collegians’ wellbeing during lockdown.

On Sunday 21 February, the Committee met to plan for the years ahead and determine how the Collegians will contribute towards Toorak College’s Strategic Plan. Over the last five years, the Collegians Committee has worked in six key areas including Archives, Grants, Careers, Communications, Events and Finance. Having achieved many strategic milestones and having contributed to the life of the school, it is now time to build on the momentum created within these portfolios and we look forward to sharing these renewed plans with you in the near future.

We look forward to recommencing face to face activities this year with many reunions taking place. As always, be sure to keep your contact details up to date with the school so we can ensure you receive relevant invitations in a timely manner.

Carolyn Such (Wiltshire, TC'69) - President, Toorak Collegians

NOTICEBOARD - WE NEED YOUR HELP!

While there are many ways to get involved in Collegian initiatives, here are some immediate opportunities to consider:

• The Toorak Collegians Committee is seeking expression of interest from potential future leaders of this committee, particularly in the roles of Vice President and President.

• Young Alumni are encouraged to join the Young Alumni Advisory Committee to help with the delivery of communications and events to our youngest Collegian members.

• The Toorak Collegians Committee is seeking recommendations of Collegians who may be suitable for an Order of Australia award.

• The Toorak Collegians Golf Club is seeking additional members to join their team who participate in two interschool competitions throughout the year.

• The Toorak Collegians Netball and Basketball clubs are seeking additional members to play across their winter and summer tournaments.

• There is sufficient interest to establish a Toorak Collegians choir.

Please contact the Collegians Office to register your interest for this planned club, or any other club you would like to investigate establishing. For more information on any of the above mentioned opportunities, please contact the Toorak Collegians office on (03) 9788 7208 or email collegians@toorakc.vic.edu.au

BIRTHS

Congratulations to Jessi Baker (TC'15) who welcomed baby Maeve Charlotte Foxx into the world in March 2020.

Congratulations to Lexis Wilton (TC'02) who welcomed baby Marlo Wilton-Whyte into the world in July 2020.

Congratulations to Fran McCarthy (TC'01) who welcomed baby Estella Catherine Catts into the world in October 2020.

Congratulations to Gemma Wilson-Dunleavy (TC'09) who welcomed Sadie Isabella Wise into the world in February 2021.

REQUIESCAT IN PACE

Christine Ewert (TC'75)

Rosemary Peisley (Bromley, TC'60)

Serena Osmond (Brunton, TC’54)

Jennie Lees (McRoberts, TC’52)

Anna Carrington-Jones (Foster, TC’50)

Dawn Routledge (TC’49)

Lois Coles (TC’48)

Phelia Keble-Johnston (Grimwade, TC’45)

Celebrating a life of commitment

Vale Rosemary Peisley (Bromley, TC'60)

It is with great sadness we inform Collegians of the passing of Rosemary Peisley (née Bromley) on November 3 2020. Rosemary left Toorak College in 1959 and remained a true Peninsula local whilst then raising her family and working as a nurse.

Although perhaps best described as a quiet achiever in many respects, Rosemary was loud in spirit and even louder in her commitment and support of Toorak College. Rosemary remained actively involved with her school in a number of capacities over many years. Notably, Rosemary served on the Collegians Committee for over a decade, for the first time in the 1990s and again commencing in 2011 at which time she took on the role of Treasurer. Between 2000 and 2006 Rosemary was the Collegians Representative to the Toorak College Board of Directors. At the time of her death, Rosemary was still active in the Archives Committee, having dedicated in excess of a total of 20 years to this group.

Rosemary maintained many friendships that she established from her time at Toorak College as a student. She also had the most wonderful knack of reconnecting Collegians from all year levels to the school.

Rosemary’s unwavering passion for Toorak College, continuous pursuit of finding new ways to support the school - from fundraising to the preservation of archival material - and her incomparable school spirit will be sorely missed.

Rosemary's legacy will be remembered fondly by our community and specifically we will celebrate her at our annual Wilderness Shield event, where the much loved bocce match between Year 12 students and Collegians will now be known as the 'Rosemary Peisley Cup'.