U3A Croydon Inc, Keystone Complex Office Hours: 10:00am to 12:30pm 1 Civic Square, Croydon 3136 Monday to Friday during U3A term Postal Address: PO Box 816, Croydon 3136. Closed Public & School Holidays. Reg A0026437S ABN 12 643 602 869 Phone: 9724 9544 Website: www.u3acroydon.org.au Email: [email protected] 2017 Mid Term One Newsletter Inside this Issue Constitution Update 2 President’s Report 2 Course Coordinator 3 Maths Puzzle 3 Office Offerings 4 Dinner Date 4 Cinema Group 4 Explore Melbourne 5 Bushwalking 5 Communication 6 Speechcraft 6 Vale 6 Cycling 7 Thank you Helen 7 Craft News 7 A big welcome to new and returning members to U3A Croydon. We hope you will all enjoy the courses in which you have enrolled . Some of the handiwork by the Mosaic Group last year We ask you also to please consider volunteering in some capacity to assist in U3A Croydon 2017 Term Dates: the continued smooth run- ning of U3A. Term 1: 30 January to 31 March 2017 9 weeks Term 2: 18 April to 30 June 2017 11 weeks Term 3: 17 July to 22 September 2017 10 weeks Term 4: 9 October to 8 December 2017 9 weeks Special Points of Interest: 2017 Annual Membership Fee: Bushwalking—4, 18 $50.00 Full Member February $30.00 Associate Member Cycling—2, 7, 16, 21 Feb 2, 7, 16, 21, 30 March Dinner Date—7 Feb OUR MISSION STATEMENT Explore Melb—21 “U3A Croydon is committed to sharing knowledge and skills with each other for March, 18 April mutual benefit, well-being and enjoyment and to working constructively with its partners.” AGM—10:00am Tues 28 March U3A CROYDON CONSTITUTION Dear Members, The Committee has amended U3A Croydon’s Constitution so that it adheres to the updated legal responsibilities of incorporated associations. You will have an op- portunity to view the document before it is presented at our Annual General Meet- ing on Tuesday 28 March 2017 at 10:00am in the Kent Avenue Scout Hall. We will have copies available at the U3A Croydon office for members to view from the 6th March 2017. At the Annual General Meeting we will ask those present to vote on a special resolution to accept the amendments to the Constitution. When the resolu- tion is passed the document will be forwarded to Consumer Affairs Victoria who must endorse the document before it is legally binding. It will then be posted on our website. Jenny Higgins Secretary PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Firstly, part of our enrolment proce- months before he goes on holi- may I wish dures. Pity about the terrible days. you all a weather on Tuesday but we very happy overcame the problem. (Thank Please, it is time for some mem- New Year you to the Tutors who allowed bers to step up to fill these im- and do us to use the Athletics Club portant roles. We are also look- hope that Room.) Many thanks to Wen- ing for members who would like you are dy Holmes who organised the to serve on the Committee or be looking enrolment procedures in the an assistant to a Committee forward to office. She did a great job and member. Give us a call if you an interesting and stimulating was ably assisted by an army of are interested or want to discuss year with U3A Croydon. I trust volunteers. this matter further. you are enjoying your courses. This will be my last report as In conclusion, I would like to The 2017 Enrolment Week was this February, I will moving say that I have enjoyed my time quite successful and we man- permanently to reside in Balla- on the Committee and found the aged to enrol large numbers at rat. Unfortunately, this will work quite stimulating. I wish the office with minimum waiting leave U3A Croydon without a U3A Croydon all the best for the times. I trust that those who President and a Vice President, future and sincerely hope that went online found the re- which will put a strain on the the goal of acquiring a ‘home’ enrolment process easy to fol- other Committee members and base will be realised. low. Many volunteers used the may affect operations. Geoff opportunity to do priority enrol- Steventon (a past President) has Kind regards ment on the Monday afternoon. kindly offered to step into the We may make this a permanent President’s chair for a few Barry Turnor 2 COURSE COORDINATOR COMMENTS As I write this to a close; as administrative duties ing, patchwork, calligraphy and comment on a beckon; schools resume and rou- more. Have a chat with them. truly blissful tines are re-established, opportuni- and peaceful ties for such languid and pleasura- Another example is ‘Holistic and day, a brilliant ble pursuits as observing my Intuitive Development’. In this blue sky is grandchildren at play and bird course, Tutor Maria Kurdian will overhead and a watching are diminished. Howev- help you learn the skills to recog- gentle whisper- er my involvement with U3A nise and develop your intuition, the ing breeze ca- Croydon brings its own rewards. connection of the mind, body and resses the soul and align yourself with your leaves of my And now to business. A huge life purpose. nectarine tree. A rosella resplendent welcome to all our members - new in its cloak of brilliant reds and and old. I see that many of you Delighted and inspired with the greens, delicately balances on a have planned ahead and have success of her 'Speechcraft' course slender branch and samples yet an- made your decisions regarding on Tuesdays, Philippa Pavillard has other of the ripening fruits. Upon courses. A good move as many of introduced a second group - on Fri- noticing me it momentarily hesi- our courses are full. However day afternoons. Philippa has a tal- tates, but after satisfying itself that I there are still a number of interest- ent for nurturing and encouraging am not a threat, it resumes the task ing opportunities available and, as confident speaking in group situa- at hand. Once satiated it takes its’ we are constantly adding to our tions. Members joining this group leave with nary a backward glance. repertoire, it is a good idea to keep will soon find themselves wowing Occasionally one of these beautiful an eye on the website. audiences with spontaneous fluent marauders leaves behind a bright speeches. multi coloured feather – payment Some Examples of New courses: perhaps - which my young neigh- Some of our new courses such as bour immediately captures for his One example to start in Term 1 ‘An invitation to Engage With Phi- ever increasing collection. which still has vacancies is losophy’ with Tutor Paul Martin ‘Unfinished (Craft) Objects – are already full, but it is still worth As I observed the rosella, I was re- UFOs’ especially designed for adding your name to waiting lists as minded of a similarly beautiful day those who, riding on a wave of this provides valuable information earlier in January, when I took my wild enthusiasm embark upon a as to which courses most interest grandsons raspberry/strawberry project only find that they lack the our members and in which direc- picking. What a delight it proved to skills or motivation to bring the tion we should be looking for addi- be - as they excitedly competed and project to completion. Unable to tional Tutors. And sometimes va- sought out the richest, reddest, most relinquish the project completely cancies do occur - you never know succulent fruit - calling out in tri- it is the banished to a dark cup- your luck. umph when they happened upon a board perhaps with plans to return particularly spectacular specimen - to it another time. Well help is at And in closing remember - ‘Life is a sublime expression of sheer bliss hand. In a friendly and supportive partly what we make it, and partly appearing on their faces as they environment our multi talented what is made by the friends we sampled each sun drenched jewel twosome Lyn McMahon and Kar- choose.’ (Anon) And at U3A Croy- and savoured the luscious juices. In yn Pacchiana guarantee to re- don friendships abound. Have a the background the constant hyp- kindle your inspiration and help wonderful year and do not forget to notic drone of nectar drunken bees you develop the confidence and check out the website. accompanied us. skills required to achieve success. Their skills range – knitting, cro- Now the holidays are fast drawing chet, sewing, embroidery, quilt- Patricia VOTING IMBROGLIO A vote had to be taken on a controversial issue in a crowded club meeting. The president suggested that all who were in favour of the motion should stand while those opposed to it should sit down. After a count had been taken, the president stated that the motion had been carried by a majority of exactly one-fifth of the opposition tally. However, there were immediate protests by club members that the result was invalid because there had not been enough seats for all of the opponents of the motion. Twelve members stated that they had had to stand against their intentions. The president then announced that under these circumstances, the motion had now been reject- ed by a majority of one vote. How many people in total voted? (Thank you to Greg Sheehan. See next issue for solution) 3 OFFICE OFFERINGS Welcome back to HAVE A BADGE a number of roles last year, and another interesting This showed that they are not were not included at the Tutors’ year with Croydon wearing them to class as re- Lunch, received a gift from the of- U3A, and hopeful- quired.