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‘We aim to re-frame the perception of the Northern Suburbs, and influence what other social media users do. Instead of just seeing negative stories about the area all the time, we’re using our own social media network to share and show a different side: the one we all know.’

We’re talking to Brandon Dellow, the man behind the ‘3214 Faces and Places’ Facebook page. He only graduated from Northern Bay College P-12 (NBC) in 2015 and is now employed in NBC’s Education Support department, including acting as Media and Reporting Coordinator for the Northern Bay Promise Project.

Continue reading “3214 Faces & Places, Brandon” →

Deb Parsons who runs Magic Meadows, a small family farm in Lovely Banks, had an idea about how to help struggling local dairy farmers. ‘Aussie dairy farmers are really doing it tough due to the current diary crisis. The Victorian Farmers Federation estimates that 50% of the 4,200 registered dairy farmers in Victoria are currently facing financial hardship and possible ruin. About 70% of those are in our western region. They are right on our doorstep.’

‘With Christmas approaching us fast I decided that it was time to step up. I have a vision to produce at least 1,000 hampers that could be given out to the dairy farmers to help ease the pain on the day. Dairy farmers still have to get up and milk, even if it is Christmas. If you can change the mindset you can make a difference.

Continue reading “Hampers for Farmers, Deb” →

‘On the morning of Nov. 7th 2011 Alex’s and my world changed forever. Our four month old son, River Jak Adam Waddell, passed away in his sleep in what was later determined to be a SIDS event. Our first child, River was a healthy and happy baby boy, with no symptoms of any illness. He was put to bed in his cot, on his back – he was sleeping safely as per the recommended guidelines and breastfed by his Mum who didn’t drink or smoke – yet still fell victim to this devastating condition.’ We hear from Karl Waddell, General Manager of River’s Gift.

‘Out of our tragedy River’s Gift was born, to raise funds specifically for research into Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). We identified that there was a vital need for SIDS research to again be afforded the attention it deserved. Research had largely been neglected since the early 1990s, following the dramatic reduction in infant deaths as a result of Sids & Kids’ success with Red Nose Day and the funding for education about safe sleeping practices. In just over 4 ½ years River’s Gift has raised over $500,000. Over $200,000 of this has been raised through our run training programs that we host in Geelong and have recently launched in Ballarat.

Continue reading “River’s Gift, Karl” →

‘I wanted to help distribute food directly to those in need.  With the help of Fr. Kevin Dillon, Parish Priest of St. Mary’s, my vision was realised.’ I’m interviewing Gary McIlvena as we sit in the St. Mary’s Food Pantry, next to St Mary’s Church in Yarra St. We are surrounded by shelves of packaged foods, freezers. A day later there would also have been a table full of fresh vegetables. ‘Our clients are marginalised. For example, the homeless or pensioners…they have Centrelink cards or Immigration cards.  A single person goes away with a single bag of groceries, a family with two or three bags. We help about forty families a week who come here from all over Geelong and district.

Continue reading “St Mary’s Food Bank, Gary” →

If you like a good laugh, go along to the Medimime at GPAC- and rest assured that your money is going to a good cause. ‘This year we are performing Sleeping Beauty, a show we haven’t done for quite some time. Tickets are on sale now. www.facebook.com/medimime/ The Andrew Love Cancer Centre is the worthy recipient of the funds – another cause close to my heart as I am an oncology nurse on Baxter Six, the in-patient haematology/oncology unit.’ We hear from Linda Menzel. ‘Medimime Productions was established in 1974 by Gerald Haywood, Don Robertson and John Zelcer under the auspices of The Geelong Hospital. The idea was to follow in the tradition of English hospitals by staging annual Christmas pantomimes with hospital and allied medical staff as the cast. The cast and crew comprises, where possible, hospital employees, Barwon Health and allied health professionals. Family and friends are also involved.

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Have you heard the BUZZ about Grovedale’s 3216 Connect Op Shop? Located at 2 Dendle St, off Marshalltown Rd, this little space is more of a community hub than an op shop. It also provides support to those facing the trauma of unemployment, suicide and long-term illness and practical help to assist people getting back to work. There is a food bank and financial planning assistance is available, while Manager Michele Warren and her team are well connected with various agencies and other community groups: “The two major groups that we tend to see are single parents (mothers and fathers) and women who have suffered domestic abuse,” she says.

Continue reading “3216 Connect Op Shop, Michele” →

‘Just recently they found a baby in a box in the dump. They are very clever in trying to track the family down and keep them together, and if necessary promote Ethiopian adoption.’ Liz Lester, a Highton GP, says she has been drawn in by the need in this African country, where the life expectancy is only 53. She takes donations and medical supplies to the “Grace Center” https://www.facebook.com/minardsatgracecenter which supports children and families in Bahir Dar, a town on a beautiful lake an hour’s flight from the capital Addis Ababa. It is similar in size to Geelong. Brisbane couple Deanne and Andrew are the co-founders of the Center, which helps over 300 children with before and after school care, childcare, and an orphanage.

Continue reading “Grace Center, Ethiopia, Liz” →

‘If the bees go, we go. I’m the founder of BeeSaviours, a registered charity. Its purpose is to conserve bees—not only honey bees but indigenous pollinators as well. The inspiration arose from my childhood experience of beekeeping in England, coupled with a love of nature.’ We are talking to Mark Colley from Teesdale.

‘Nicknamed ‘Insect’ as a young lad, my interest in the natural world has played a major part in my current awareness and activism.

Continue reading “BeeSaviours, Mark” →

‘A place where it’s ok to have Autism without anyone trying to fix anyone, a place to just be you.’ With this philosophy in mind John and Sharon Demopoulos created The Treehouse Geelong in 2008.

‘Most times having a child with autism is amazing but occasionally there are hard times, lonely times and every one of you knows what I mean, so we want to bring everyone together to talk to others about the wonders you experience every day and the bad experiences too. Let’s work together to make a place where spinning, flapping, lining things up and just being plain unsociable is the norm.’ [The Treehouse website]

Continue reading “The Treehouse, Lisa” →

Former Mayor of Geelong and Director of Fagg’s Mitre 10, Keith Fagg, tells us about his voluntary work with “Dignity Therapy” for patients in palliative care.

‘Becoming the Mayor of Geelong was not on my bucket list but I thought it would be a way of serving our community. I met a lot of great people in that role. I like to delegate and encourage others to get on with what it is they are doing. I think it is important to let the people with the knowledge and passion to continue doing their work.

Continue reading “Dignity Therapy, Keith Fagg” →