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We couldn’t get together but we certainly rallied
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We couldn’t get together but we certainly rallied!
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Perhaps it was that our lives and focus were somewhat narrowed by circumstances this year that gave us such clarity. As a community, and sometimes as a family, it was not really possible to gather physically.
We did manage to get together at our Cocktail Party, ‘Brigo goes Underground’, but it was not much later that all events and gatherings stopped. We launched ‘Change Her Life’ at this event and were so happy with the response. This was certainly the year when the importance of bursary support for the College was clearly understood, and our community responded.
Through a suite of activities across our College community, donations to bursary support this year have totalled $50,870 – our best year for Annual Giving ever! The combination of gifts from the community, an impressive ‘Row for Brigo’ effort by our Business Manager, Richard Luxford, sponsorship from College suppliers and the wonderful efforts of our Parents and Friends, will provide funds which will ‘Change Her Life’.
This bursary support from donors will help us to help girls by providing a Brigidine education which is out of reach due to their families’ loss or hardship. We are so grateful to those who were able to give their support, including those listed here and those who have chosen to remain anonymous. On a personal note, as I will be retiring in December 2021, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Brigidine community and staff for my time at the College. It has meant so much to me to combine work that I love, in a place that I believe in, and a purpose that confirms so many of my personal values. How fortunate I have been, indeed blessed! There are far too many people to thank but consider yourself on my list because as a community, a parent, a staff member and a student you have all played your part in adding to my courage, confidence and compassion for life and for Brigidine. Go well, my friends. I will always be so grateful.
DI LAWRENCE DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Donations can be made to the Scholarship and Bursary Fund on the College website. If you would like to make a gift to support Bursaries at Brigidine please scan the QR code and click ‘Give here’.
Julianne Abercrombie Barbette’s Feast Nadia Batchelor Bowesman Family Karen Calleia Cardinale Family Chakravorty Family Wai Tse Chen Coakes Family Leanne Cunningham Vera Evanian Don and Heidi Ferguson (Take a Seat) Loukas Gatzoulis Gillard/Boyse Family Philippa Goddard John and Jenny Gordon Heal Family Ingrid Heintz Graham Hughes Janoyan Family Di Lawrence Li Family Maher Family Marx Family May Family Anne Mayoh McGain Family David McGrath Dr Kerry-Ann O’Sullivan Ann Paton Christine Pickering Julitta Ponniah Preziuso Family Rolfe Family Leone Smyth James and Kristy Stewart Tregale Family Wilson Family
ROW FOR BRIGO DONORS
Austin Family Riju Bhatia BRASV Group David Buley Craig Carroll Cornes Family Michael Christie Cliff Cowdroy Jane Curran Scott Finn Focus Uniforms Steven Graham Kitty Guerin Kimmorley Family Richard Luxford Brett and Marina McLennan Nicole McLeod Nexia Sydney Pty Ltd Dr Kerry-Ann O’Sullivan Rosemary Ramage Brian Riordan Anthony Rous Becky Salter Craig Segaert Somerville Group Michelle Szelid
A PARENT PERSPECTIVE
In conversation with a parent this year some significant reflective thoughts were exchanged. This parent generously agreed to put thoughts to keyboard on “Why we support”. You may well enjoy this sentiment.
“It is never easy to select a school for your children. There are so many considerations, not least the effect on the family budget. We were prepared to make an informed investment in Brigidine to provide a supportive learning environment for our girls so they could discover their strengths and pursue a direction of their choosing beyond high school.
High school has been a journey of discovery for all of us. Brigidine has consistently demonstrated its focused academic approach coupled with a recognisable spirit. I consider our investment in our girls’ education as one of the most important contributions we as parents have made. We decided early in our high school journey to consistently support the Brigidine Bursary Fund because we recognised that while our girls would benefit from schooling at Brigidine, others could not. We wanted to provide access to our experience for an individual or individuals whose circumstance did not allow for the same choice we made for our girls. We are convinced that given the right environment and the right motivations, anybody can see past circumstance and prosper.
The Brigidine Scholarship and Bursary Fund is an important cause. It has the ability to remove a significant barrier to getting a start in secondary education. We view the fund as a wonderful opportunity for families to support Brigidine with its compassionate reach.”
