A PUBLICATION FOR SOCIETY MEMBERS, VOLUNTEERS AND S TA F F
St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc.
Newsletter 243 January-February 2010
Black Saturday | One year after the fires Sunday 7 February 2010 marked the first anniversary of Australia's most devastating natural disaster when fierce bushfires swept across the State, causing unprecedented damage. This day has become known as Black Saturday. In the year following the tragic bushfires, the St Vincent de Paul Society has been engaged in significant recovery work on the ground, the financial value of which exceeds $3.5 million. Over the course of the last year, the St Vincent de Paul Society has responded to the Black Saturday tragedy in a range of ways. z
The Vinnies Victorian Disaster Appeal was mounted. By the end of the first day of the appeal $44,920 in donations had been processed and by the end of the appeal, $4,000,495 had been donated by individuals and organisations.
z
Assistance has been provided in 6,888 cases, by conference members (local volunteers).
z
The total dollar value of assistance given in this way was $3,505,293 and was spent in the following bushfire affected areas: Alexandra, Arthurs Creek, Beechworth, Bendigo, Buxton, Callignee, Christmas Hills, Chum Creek, Clonbinane, Cottles Bridge, Darlimurla, Dixons Creek, Drouin West, Flowerdale, Gormandale, Hazelwood North, Jeeralang, Jindivick, Kallista, Kilmore, Kinglake, Kinglake West, Labertouche, LeRoy, Longwarry, Maiden Gully, Marysville, Mirboo North, Mudgegonga, Myrtleford, Narbethong, Neerim South, Pheasant Creek, Smiths Gully, St Andrews, Steels Creek, Strath Creek, Strathewen, Traralgon South, Wandong, Yarra Glen and Yinnar.
z
The nature of this assistance was as follows: 34% - furniture and household items 17% - whitegoods 16% - tools and outdoor equipment 16% - food, food vouchers and gift cards 7% - other 5% - transport, including fuel 2% - bills or other financial assistance 2% - clothing* 1% fire wood *Note: This clothing represents assistance provided by conferences. It does not include material aid distributed through Vinnies Centres.
The outstanding work of members and volunteers during the past year has meant individuals, families and communities have been able to reestablish themselves and rebuild their lives. Thank you all.
S Twelve months after the bushfires, members and volunteers are assisting survivors to rebuild communities, homes and lives.
2
U P D AT E
State President ’s Update BY JIM GREALISH Dear Vincentians, Volunteers, Staff and Supporters Welcome to all our readers of this first edition of Societynews for 2010. One of the major tasks we have set ourselves for this and the next few years is Refounding. Refounding is a process of trying to get back to the messages, visions and ethos of our founders but, of course, to re-locate them in the context of the present day. It is essentially a celebration of our past, present and future and will include all members, volunteers, staff and supporters of the Society. As organisations like ours get larger there is a danger that the purposes for which they were founded will become lost or distorted. If this happens we would be less able to assist the poor and needy in our community. To use modern jargon, we would become less relevant. I would like to put a ‘commercial’ into this note. This year's Ozanam Lecture will be held at St Francis Church, Lonsdale Street, Melbourne on Thursday 3 June 2010. For this year's lecture we have been fortunate to obtain the services of Father Richard Benson, a Vincentian priest from Los Angeles. Father Benson is a senior member of the staff at the Los Angeles Diocesan Seminary. He is well known for his insights into the work and life of the Society. His lecture will refer to the topic of Refounding. Please put the date of this lecture in your diary NOW. All members, volunteers and staff members are welcome to all Society gatherings. With every good wish
Jim Grealish State President
Prayers are requested for... Deceased Members, Volunteers, Family and Friends William Boyce Volunteer, Malvern Centre Les Bramley Ex-Member, Bendigo Conference John Crosbie Member, Malvern Conference Lorraine Gunther Volunteer, Vinnies Budget Groceries - Mildura Josie Jordan Member, Ferntree Gully Conference Ivan Murphy Ex-President & Member, Dandenong North Mens’ Conference Gerry Oude Vrielink Ex-President & Member, Monbulk Conference & Mount Dandenong Conference Mary Terpstra President, Mount Evelyn Conference Martha Tetley Member, Beaumaris Conference
Seriously Ill Members Jack Farley Yves Keussy Kevin Pekin
Member, Warrnambool West Conference Member, Oakleigh Conference Member, Warrnambool West Conference
To ensure correct acknowledgement please forward any requests for prayers to Philip Mackey by phone on 03 9895 5837 or email philipm@svdp-vic.org.au.
Letter to Editor Dear Sir Our esteemed member, Michael Pye, in his 84th year and after 58 years as a member of the Society has resigned from our conference. Michael, commonly known as Mick, amongst other duties has served as Conference and Regional Council President. He has been a supporter of those in need and a dedicated visitor to the less fortunate. He is also the proud father of eight daughters. Yours in Christ Bryan Watt President St Jospeh’s Conference Warrnambool
Conferences step in and show their worth On 20 December tragedy struck the Tut family of Morwell when they lost their son Bangoang in a tragic and senseless accident. Bangoang was playing with his brothers and mother in the front yard of their home when a vehicle careened through the fence and hit the six year old. The whole of Victoria was saddened by this accident. Support and prayers flooded in to the family. Two conferences, Parkville and Morwell, communicated in an effort to ascertain what immediate assistance could be given to the family. The Morwell Conference with the Gippsland Multicultural Services opened an appeal. The Parkville Conference matched donations made by Morwell and the Gippsland Multicultural Services and the fund was up and running. As the cost of the funeral was met by TAC, the money raised will go towards paying a lump sum rent payment to the Ministry of Housing on behalf of the family. The family are from Sudan and fled to Australia to escape their war-torn country. May he rest in peace. Judy Liddy Secretary Parkville Conference
U P D AT E Celebrating Christmas Gerald Ward House The Christmas Day Lunch at Gerald Ward House was initiated in 2005 to provide people, who may not have the means or who are separated from their families, with an opportunity to have a traditional Christmas lunch with all the trimmings including a gift from Santa and musical entertainment. In 2005 there were some 15 guests and a handful of volunteers. Last year the number increased to around 50 people of different ages and diverse cultures. An abundance of volunteers were also on hand. Sincere thanks to all our Christmas Day volunteers who so willingly gave of their time to serve those who are less fortunate. Buxton Conference On Saturday 19 December 2009, the Yarra Valley Region held a Christmas celebration at the Buxton Reserve for families, friends and volunteers affected by the bushfires in the area. This celebration was a great way for our volunteers to meet people assisted during Black Saturday. The day included entertainment for all ages, refreshments and Santa. Ferntree Gully Conference The annual Seniors Christmas lunch was held at the Parish hall at St John The Baptist Church on Saturday 5 December 2009. The lunch provided an opportunity to meet the seniors in our community and enjoy an afternoon of good food and entertainment. Volunteers prepared a great meal and the 80 guests enjoyed a selection of carols from our talented musicians. Cr Sue McMillan, Knox Council’s Dobson Ward representative, was welcomed. Thanks are also extended to Santa, Fr Alan, Beryl Turner and Terry Stephens for their assistance. Ozanam House, Ozanam Community Centre & Quin House Christmas was celebrated at Ozanam House, Ozanam Community Centre and Quin House with staff, volunteers and clients enjoying traditional fare. Residents at Ozanam House and Quin House and visitors at Ozanam Communitiy Centre received gifts provided by donors and corporate organisations. Although extremely busy, the day was enjoyed by all.
3
S u n s h i n e L e a r n i n g To g e t h e r
Participating mothers and children with staff at the Sunshine Learning Together program.
Early in 2006 the St Vincent de Paul Society, in conjunction with Our Lady's Parish Sunshine, identified a need to educate Sudanese women in the community with the English language. As a result Sunshine Learning Together was established. The large concentration of Sudanese refugees within the Sunshine Parish are entitled to 510 hours English tuition while they have children under the age of five. Once the program was established, the Adult Multicultural Education Service provided tutors and women from the parish volunteered to mind the children while the students were undergoing their tuition. The program was originally eight hours per week with up to 14 women attending. Most arrived accompanied by two children. Following a review, a meeting was called for interested community groups to see what options to revitalise the program were available. As a result an expression of interest for program funding was submitted to a Federal Government funded program called Communities for Children operating in the Brimbank Municipality. Our submission demonstrated the involvement of the wider community and the advantage of networking. As well as the Society, Our Lady's Parish, UnitingCare, AMES and the Victorian Co-operative on Children's Services for Ethnic Groups are all involved. The successful funding request saw the first class conducted in June 2006. Funding was initially for a three year term which terminated on the 30 June 2009 but, due to the success of the program, an application was submitted
for a further three years and this was also successful. Consequently the program continues to go from strength to strength. Twelve mothers regularly attend with up to 22 children who are looked after by four staff and four volunteers. The staff include an English tutor and three child minders. The Sudanese women, in addition to their English tuition, are encouraged to interact with the children, singing, dancing and playing games. The changes we have witnessed with both the mothers and the children since they first became involved with the program have been incredible. The children especially are now always keen to become involved in all the program’s activities. Maurie Taylor Program Coordinator Sunshine Learning Together
THURSDAY 17 JUNE 2010 For more information: www.ceosleepout.org.au
U P D AT E Australia Day Honours
Tasty Trucks supports Soup Vans
The following Vincentians were recently honoured:
Soup Van President, Br Doug Walsh (left) with Managing Director of Tasty Trucks, Colin Lear
For over 15 years, Tasty Trucks has been an integral part of the St Vincent de Paul Society’s soup van services. Known as Victoria's premier lunch van service, Tasty Trucks sells a range of hot and cold food to Melbourne's building site, factory and office workers. With each of the 50 Tasty Truck vans visiting up to 60 sites, it is essential that workers at the last stop receive the same variety of food as workers at the first stop. This means that at the end of each day, Tasty Trucks is left with a lot of pre-packaged food. Every weekday, this leftover food is packed and sent on to the Vinnies soup vans in Fitzroy and Footscray where it is distributed to the homeless and marginalised in inner city Melbourne. Greg, a soup van coordinator is impressed with the quality and variety of the Tasty Trucks food provided on the soup vans: "People on the streets just go mad for the 'wing dings' - they're like gold. Similarly no one ever goes past the roast beef focaccias or the Mediterranean vegetable paninis. The soup van food is better than what I get at home!" As well as supplying nearly all the food for the soup vans on weekdays, Tasty Trucks has assisted with the design of the soup van fitout used by the Society.
Although similar to the Tasty Trucks fleet, all soup vans have been specially designed to fit their unique purpose. Colin Lear, Managing Director of Tasty Trucks is pleased with the close relationship the exists between Vinnies and his business. "Before we started donating our leftover food to the soup vans, there was so much wastage which we felt really bad about. Now it's wonderful knowing that as well as providing a lunch van service for Melbourne's workers, we're also helping some of the most disadvantaged in our community. It's something that also sets us apart from our competitors. People are always interested to hear about the Vinnies connection." For more information on Tasty Trucks, please see www.tastytrucks.com.au.
ESME JOLME - Awarded OAM, volunteer at Castlemaine Centre MARY HUGHES - Nominated for Casey Citizen of the Year. Member for 31 years. JUSTIN MATTHYS - Nominated for Casey Young Citizen of the Year in Casey Australia Day awards. Young Vinnies member. ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NILLUMBIK SHIRE - Won a Community Group of the Year 2010 Award as part of the Australia Day Awards. This year 46 community groups were recognised for their efforts, usually there are five. Ed. Congratulations to all recipients. Your work in the community is greatly appreciated. If we have missed anyone please let us know.
Calendar Dates z z z
z
z z z
Society (donor newsletter) March 2010 Winter Appeal 5 May - 29 August 2010 Mass for the Poor - Feast of the Sacred Heart Weekend of 12-13 June 2010 Ozanam Lecture Thursday 3 June 2010, 7pm St Francis’ Church, Melbourne CEO Sleepout Thursday 17 June 2010 Mass for Deceased Members Tuesday 9 November 2010 Annual General Meeting Saturday 13 November 2010 Contributions to Societynews are always welcome. Email to: dianneb@svdp-vic.org.au or send to:
Soup Van volunteers Russell (left) and Mark
Did you know... Societynews can be downloaded from the Publications area on our website, log on to: www.vinnies.org.au
The Editor Societynews St Vincent de Paul Society Locked Bag 4800 Box Hill Vic 3128 Phone: 03 9895 5800 Fax: 03 9895 5850 We endeavour to include as many items as possible in each issue.