Kangaroo Tales MONTHLY BULLETIN of the Kangaroo Flat Y Service Club (Women) Inc
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Kangaroo Tales MONTHLY BULLETIN OF THE Kangaroo Flat Y Service Club (Women) Inc. PO Box 1018, Kangaroo Flat 3555 Monthly meeting held on 2nd Tuesday of every month. PRESIDENT: EDITOR: Jude Rodda Joy McNamara [email protected] [email protected] NOVEMBER 2018 Prior to our October meeting our guest speakers Margaret Segrave and Bernadette Ransom told us about the L'Arche Community in Bendigo. The majority of us knew little or nothing of this extremely worthwhile organization. L’Arche was founded in France in 1964 by Jean Vanier and two men with an intellectual disability, Raphael Simi and Philippe Seux. Jean Vanier invited these two men to come and live with him in a spirit of friendship and equality. Together they named their home “L’Arche” (meaning The Ark – a place of refuge) It was a place of belonging and new beginnings. Today L’Arche is a world-wide federation of 152 communities in 37 countries. L’Arche in Australia began near Canberra in 1978. L’Arche Genesaret was the first community in Australia. Today there are L’Arche communities in Canberra, Sydney, Hobart, Brisbane and Melbourne, with groups forming in Newcastle, Armidale, Toowoomba, Perth, Adelaide, Bendigo and Alice Springs. In December 1999 Maureen Considine, Margaret Segrave’s sister, and Bernadette Ransom, both mothers of children with an intellectual disability, began a journey to establish a L’Arche community in Bendigo. As parents they understood the need to create community and provide a social network in a caring environment for their children as they moved into adulthood. Maureen’s untimely death in 2006 led to the establishment of the Maureen Considine Fund in pursuit of her dream and her sister Margaret together with other dedicated people work hard to see the dream come true. After much anticipation and excitement the L’Arche House of Welcome at 8 Grandview Crescent is open in Bendigo. Currently the committee is working towards setting up a second larger residence in Spring Gully. L’Arche Bendigo has been very fortunate to have the support of the Maureen Considine Fund as it has made a significant contribution to the cost of capital works and furnishings at the House of Welcome. A L’Arche Community is a faith based community built on the establishment of mutual relationships between people with and without an intellectual disability. It extends from providing friendship networks, to supporting people to live in their own home, and community living where people with and without an intellectual disability come together to live in a L’Arche house – in a place they call home. Community members are encouraged to achieve their social, independence, living, spiritual and relational aspirations. The generosity of donors and fundraising activities has been essential for the establishment of the Bendigo L’Arche community and will continue to be required to meet ongoing costs. The Maureen Considine Fund Committee is very grateful for the generous support of many people over the past years and hope this support will continue in the future. Share the Dignity Bags Please bring your completed handbags to the November Meeting. Essentials that every bag must contain – Shampoo Conditioner Toothbrush and toothpaste Soap Deodorant Sanitary Items Your may also like to include the following - Soap Container, Brush / Comb, Hair ties, Hand cream, Nail Polish, Tissues, Shower cap, Pen, Notepad or any other item you think suitable. Remember – No sharp items – razors, scissors etc. No pain killers, lollies or food items. This year only completed bags are wanted. If you have some additional items you have collected you can donate them to Zonta. Raelene Schmidt will collect and pass them on as they make up bags all year round. My Exotic Garden I love the Botanical Gardens, I love the way they’re designed, It’s great just having a wander, it’s marvellous what you can find. Sequoias from north California, Wax trees from southern Japan, Spruces from Norway and Russia, and Palm trees from sunny Iran. My garden is truly exotic, with plants from all over the world. With leaves that are flattened or rounded, with leaves that are twisted and curled. I’ve couch grass from Europe and Asia, I’ve vetch from Africa, too, Thistles from England and Scotland, and Chickweed from Kalamazoo! From the Mediterranean Region I’m growing some skeleton weed, And gorse, which grows very strongly, spreads well in my garden by seed! The hemlock, which by reputation, killed Socrates centuries ago, Is flourishing now in my garden - it’s another exotic, you know! A South African plant in my garden, the Emex or three-cornered Jack, Has a seed-case that’s really quite vicious! As hard and as sharp as a tack! I’ve spurge from somewhere in Asia, sorrel from England or France, And I think that from Argentina, I’ve pampas that blew here, by chance! I’ve plants from all different countries, as you can quite readily see; My garden is truly exotic, as others must surely agree! I’ve invited a whole lot of people to visit my garden some day, But no-one shows any interest- perhaps they’ve forgotten the way! Aussie Poems for Gnome and Garden by Philip R. Rush Philip Rush is an Australian Poet and has written at least six books of poems. I really enjoy his work. Social Day - Friday 26th 0ctober 2018. Travel to Echuca via Rochester to see the silos. Board the Paddle Steamer "Mary Ann" for a lunch cruise at 12 o’clock. We had a lovely day in Echuca on the paddle steamer where 16 of us had a delicious lunch. Some of us met for morning coffee and a look at the beautiful silos in Rochester as well. Our group went for a yummy ice cream after our boat ride and a bit of retail therapy (we did have our fashion queen Jude Rodda with us!) before going home.... The weather was lovely and we had lots of fun and conversation. I think the men enjoyed it too so a good day was had by all. Thank you - Chris Waugh for the report and the photos of all the happy participants. A very big thank you also goes to Joyce Lowe for organising this day. Club News Marg Millar says - To start the month I had a quick trip to Melbourne with Nicole for a dentist visit. Home again and then off to Cobram for three nights. It rained all one day but we still got out and about. Friday the 26th saw 15 of us go for a ride on the paddle steamer. Les Campbell, Judy Taylor and I stopped off at Rochester and had a lovely coffee, even if the service was a bit? Other days filled with coffee dates. Dawn Baxter says – Graeme and I had a nice week in Townsville visiting Troy and family. We had a lovely lunch with grandson Hugh at his apartment on the 19th floor overlooking the sites of Townsville. Hugh is enjoying Townsville and has settled in well at the hospital. We enjoyed a nice lunch at the yacht club and travelled up to Starbright the family property. It is a lovely spot on the Burdekin River. They had 5 inches of rain the previous week so the country was looking quite lush. The weather was lovely but becoming humid. I have taken up yoga, it is not easy. I am putting my body into positions it has not been in for 70 years. The things we do to keep fit!!! Top marks to you Dawn! Val O’Brien says – I have had a busy month. A trip to Warrnambool with my friend Cheryl, down to Hoppers Crossing for my granddaughter Tylah’s 18th birthday, finishing off another Mosaic project, then two trips to see Silos. I also entered some Succulents and Roses into the Bendigo Show and got two firsts and three seconds and I was quite surprised. Marjie Patton says – I would like to thank everyone that has come to visit me and for the beautiful cards and flowers. Wendy Earle has been my rock, she is amazing! Wendy has looked after me, staying with me and I would not know what to do with out her, she is my angel. Thank you Wendy! It has been a busy month and I’ve still got a long way to go…..but I climb a mountain get knocked down and then up I go again….I hope everyone is enjoying the warmer weather, I am! Love to you all x Sue Robinson says – I have a new granddaughter Eden Robbie. All are well and of course she is perfect. Tim and l have headed off in the van for a week before we start fulltime grandparent duty. Congratulations to all the family, she is perfect. Bev Buchan says – We have been busy catching up on family. We had a fortnight in Perth to visit Ron’s Mum and cousins etc. Ron’s Mum has moved into a new facility since we came home, so has to find her way around a new room. She is 96 and blind so not doing too badly. Since then we have been to Queensland to catch up with Jamie and family. Our great granddaughter turned one while we were there. We spent four nights in Brisbane before coming home to find that the garden has flourished and everything has survived. Chris Waugh says – Apart from our lovely day out at Echuca...we have had trips to Albury, Geelong and Mildura looking for a suitable caravan...which we finally found in Bendigo!! I have lots of family birthdays between now and Christmas so it will be a busy time.