RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR It’s fantastic to see your letters and articles springing up between the pages! We also get quite a few suggestions, some, which are achievable now. Others, we need to look at when a new volunteer takes interest in joining in. Last month I mentioned the Melbourne Zoo was celebrating its 150th year. October is the month to celebrate birthdays – look out for activities at the Altona Laverton Historical Society. One of their projects partnered with Hobsons Bay Council, seniors groups and the U3A is Time Travellers, a film documenting the rich fabric of our seniors clubs is set to launch on 12th October. We also celebrate the birthdays of two wonderful community leaders, our publisher Bill McPherson and Louis Joel Community Arts Centre’s Jill Bilston. This month’s word find sees something ‘sweet’ for you. Our council elections are here and while the Around Altona chooses to stay out of the ‘politics’ of the election, we wish all candidates the very best of luck in their endeavour to do what’s best for our community. Our lovely Jill Brookes is now in rehab – bunches of flowers from groups are being co-ordinated so that Jill will have a continuous flow of Altona love. A huge thanks to Ashleigh from Mortgage Choice who is standing in for Jill and providing us with some delightful quotes. Jill, we miss you – get stronger lovely lady. Enjoy issue 55 – it’s a community conversation soooo why not join in? Cheers, Petronella Boonen
PUDDLING WITH THE PUBLISHER The girls from the Louis Joel Centre have returned from Africa full of their success in attempting to assist easing the poverty of the local women they went to help. You may already know as there is no electricity there they took loads of treadle swing machines to the edge if the dessert and spent time with the local women teaching them how to sew and make products for sale to earn a small amount to buy basic essential items to help keep them alive and possibly get out of the poverty trap. Well the girls did all that and came home, in their opinion and mine, justly proud of a job well done. They believe now that there is an urgent need to send small funds to employ a person, maintain a volunteer, whatever, to bring some management and marketing skills on the ground, to ensure the project gets to the next level and the local women can stand on their own. They are talking about a small amount of money, size unknown as yet. If you’ve got a spare $10 put it in an envelope and post it to Jill Billston at the Louis Joel in Altona, mark it Sewing 2
machine project. Add your name and address or email address and Jill will keep you posted on the results as they occur. Better still, if you’re into community projects, jump in and use your efforts to help raise funds to help directly, in a small way, raise funds to reduce poverty for these women. Until next time, Bill McPherson
Issue 55