Etter Lives of S! LAURENCE Helping People Build Better Lives a Newsletter for Our Valued Friends and Supporters It’S Official
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
* BROTHERHOOD etter lives of S! LAURENCE Helping people build better lives www.bsl.org.au A newsletter for our valued friends and supporters It’s official... April 27 was an important day for 80 Building Better Lives Appeal supporters and 56 residents of Sumner and Sidney Myer House — their newly redeveloped homes were officially declared open. Special guests included Archbishop Peter Watson, Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Human Services, Matt Viney (standing in for the Honourable Bronwyn Pike MP) and Lady Southey, representing The Myer Foundation. Mr Viney, who congratulated the BSL on its efforts, told the gathering of local residents, friends and official guests that the State Government contributed $400,000 towards The Brotherhood Choir, conducted by Ruth effort. He reminded people to have a look at the rooming house. Schoenheimer, set the scene with sensitive the honour board of recognition hanging in singing of three items, while BSL Executive the main BSL building. Another $600,000 State Government grant Director Father Nicolas Frances welcomed will allow us to complete the complex, residents, friends and official guests. The official proceedings ended with the providing another eight beds in a separate release of dozens of environmentally friendly wing, now Millott House. Fr Nic referred to the fact that the balloons in BSL colours by Archbishop Peter Brotherhood’s Building Better Lives Appeal Watson, Bishop Michael and Lady Southey. Lady Southey noted her father Sidney Myer had just been judged the best capital appeal The Archbishop then blessed the residents in would have been delighted to see his family in Australia in the Fundraising Institute’s their new home. using his money to help redevelop the annual awards. rooming house — now known as Sidney BSL staff member Lola McHarg, who two years Myer House. “The award and the official opening are previously had shown dozens of prospective fitting tributes to the teamwork of so many donors over the two rundown buildings, proudly In other formal proceedings, Chairman of the wonderful people— volunteer board led tours of the new premises. BSL Board Professor Stephen Duckett members, corporate leaders who formed the presented a life membership certificate to appeal committee, generous individuals, The light luncheon we served to our residents former BSL Executive Director Bishop philanthropic trusts and corporates — who and guests was all prepared in our own very Michael Challen, who had flown with his wife gave of their time and money,” he said. up-market kitchen. Judy from Perth for the occasion. Mr Graeme Wise thanked all donors for their generosity, saying it had been a true team If you were unable to join us but would still like to visit, please phone Manager of Fundraising and Development, Di Clark on (03) 9483 1340. ................................................................................................................................. buildin 'better lives The cost of substance abuse in our community In the past, the Brotherhood of St Laurence Clare wanted to enter into a methadone In essence, we are seeking a new ‘national has not contributed to the public policy program — a treatment program for people dream’ that involves the eradication of debate around drug use, leaving it to other who are opiate dependent — but encoun poverty in Australia and equity for all groups with expert knowledge in this area. tered significant barriers. Australians. But as a representative of an organisation You have responded to this appeal in an Hopefully the new Governor General that has always spoken out about the effects amazing way. Thankyou. Archbishop Peter Hollingworth will take the and causes of poverty, I feel the Brotherhood opportunity to return to the BSL and launch of St Laurence has an important role in From your unprecedented level of support, the Inquiry. We will keep you informed. highlighting the terrible cost of substance we believe the community feels deeply about abuse for everyone in our community. the need to address drug abuse. Both the May Appeal and the National Public Inquiry represent an exciting, challenging Drug abuse contributes to family breakdown So we have written to the State Government direction for the Brotherhood of St Laurence. and isolation, suicide, accidental deaths and about the strength of your concerns. We are extreme poverty that impact enormously on also working with the drug and alcohol We are determined to engage forcefully with young children. support agency, Turning Point, to help people the issues that cause poverty, while building who want to reclaim their lives from drugs. the picture of an Australia free from poverty. But while low-income families may feel the impact of drug use most, in the end, the We welcome recent commitments by the For Clare’s sake, let’s move with passion and suffering and cost is felt by us all. state government to engage and train more speed. GPsto prescribe methadone. But we believe It is from this concern that I decided to tell more can be done and we will continue to the story of Clare, a young woman who offer the government our assistance on this needed help to kick her drug habit, in the issue. launch of our May Appeal. Tackling the issues of poverty on a national ^ \ ) I C --------( level, the Brotherhood of St Laurence is also Father Nicolas about to embark on an exciting initiative with Frances, a group of partners and networks from all Executive Director Interested over Australia. in becoming We believe it is the right time to hold a National Public Inquiry into inequity, with a a volunteer view to describing the shape of a ‘new nation * for a new century’. BROTHERHOOD at the of S! LAURENCE Brotherhood We intend to call for submissions nationally Helping people of St Laurence? and then hold public hearings and focus build better lives groups throughout Australia. Contact Western area It is envisaged that this community-led Rosa D’Aprano process will provide insights into the Published by Brotherhood of St Laurence (03) 9483 1390 or contemporary effects and causes of inequity and poverty, as well as creating a framework 67 Brunswick Street to help shape a response to this urgent Fitzroy 3065 Victoria Eastern area ^ problem. Heather Ingram Telephone 03 94831183 (03) 9782 0487 Facsimile 03 9417 2691 E-mail [email protected] ISSN-1442 4681 2 Giving the past a presence: BSL remembered Why did Jack Edward Bell bequeath the house that he owned in Ingleburn, NSW to the Brotherhood of St Laurence in Melbourne? Some of the answers are in a letter from Jack’s sister, Joy Maroney, who agreed to share the family history with BBL readers. “Jack Edward Bell was born to Violet and Edward Bell in 1926. Mother and father, my brothers Phillip and Jack and I lived in Garfield Street Fitzroy; close by to the Brotherhood in Brunswick Street. “When my mother became ill in 1935 and was unable to take care of us, Phillip and I were placed in the Victorian Children’s Aid Society in Parkville. Jack stayed at home with father, and they visited us regularly. “In 1939, when I was six years old, I was adopted and went to live with my new family at Warrandyte. Phillip lived at Burwood Jack Edward Bell and his sisterJoy Maroney Boys’ Home until his death from osteomyeli tis in 1942, and Jack continued to live with father until he joined the air force at the age “Jack and I both remembered Aunt Effie with of 18. love and affection, and I told Jack how well HOME PICK the Brotherhood had looked after her. BROTHERHOOD of S! LAURENCE UP SERVICE “Almost 30 years later I located Jack again, Helping people and he was able to answer many of the “We shared many happy times with Jack and build better lives questions I’d struggled with over the years his wife Valma at our property on the Gold Prompt pick-up of clothing and about our mother and father. Father had died Coast and their home in Ingleburn, until furniture donations from your home in in Cheltenham Old Men’s Home in 1966 Valma’s death in 1997. metropolitan Melbourne. aged 83. Sadly, my mother had never “ Last year, Jack, aged 74, died in tragic recovered from her illness and had died in Good quality summer or winter Ballarat Hospital in 1966 at the age of 61. circumstances. My family and I are still in clothing, children’s and women’s shock. shoes, well-looked after furniture and “Our Aunt Effie, who I had visited for many small electrical appliances in good years, lived in the Brotherhood’s retirement “ I know a lot of people will be helped by working order needed. village at Carrum Downs, until her death in Jack’s bequest to the Brotherhood, just as 1977, aged 96, at Carinya, the Brotherhood’s our Aunt Effie had been. And who knows, Furniture Donations nursing home at Box Hill. perhaps Fr Tucker himself had helped our family, and Jack, so many years ago.” call (03) 9388 2579 Please phone Peter Hannan on (03) 9483 1399 or check our Clothing Donations website (www.bsl.org.au) to find out how you can continue call (03) 9408 2100 “to make a difference” by leaving a bequest of any size to Alternatively take your clothing and household goods donations to the the Brotherhood in your Will. nearest Brotherhood shop. In celebration: at the opening of Sumner House and Sidney Myer House The opening, a culmination of four years work to rebuild the ageing, dilapidated Fitzroy facilities, was a public thank you to all donors who Brotherhood Board Chair Stephen Duckett presenting Life Membership helped the Brotherhood of St Laurence Certificate to Bishop Michael Challen raise more than $6 million through the Building Better Lives Appeal.