NEWS DESK
Socks draw attention STAFF and doctors at The Bays Hospital in Mornington wore their crazy socks “loudly and proudly” on Friday 5 June. The aim of the colourful display was to bring attention to the challenges faced by doctors and the disproportionately high suicide rates in the medical profession. Cardiologist Dr Geoffrey Toogood, a longtime advocate for mental health, came up with the idea of Crazy Socks 4 Docs Day to raise awareness of mental health problems among health professionals. Dr Mark Savage, of the hospital’s intensive care unit, said: “As members of a caring profession, healthcare professionals strive to provide the very best care for our patients
[but] we are not always so good at caring for ourselves and our colleagues, particularly when facing mental health challenges in life. “Campaigns like Crazy Socks 4 Docs are essential to raising awareness of mental health issues as they affect health care workers, continuing the conversation and saving lives.”
Best foot forward: Showing off their crazy socks at The Bays Hospital are clinical educator Brionhy Westbrook, registered nurse Kayla Cheasley, ICU consultant Mark Savage, ICU nurse unit manager Amy Brown and critical care registered nurse Glenn Coghill. Picture: Gary Sissons
Counting down: It’s (almost) show time as Paul Whitaker opens the Dromana drive-in gates last week. Picture: Yanni
Cars line up for outdoor show IT was just like old times at Dromana Drive-In last week, with cars lining up at the gate and the movies ready to roll. The outdoor screens were back in business after emerging from the 10-week COVID-19 shutdown. Owner Paul Whitaker said six movies were scheduled on the three screens over the two sessions of the Thursday 4 June opening night. “It’s a really good feeling to be opening again,” he said after being closed since the last weekend in March. “We will open Thursday to Sunday as normal but, if demand is high, we could go to seven days a week.” A part of the drive-in’s fabric since it was opened by his father in 1962, Mr Whitaker took over in 1989 and included extra screens. The family affair continued with wife Shel-
ley running the American-style diner and their children helping out part-time after school and at weekends. “The funny thing is we were never actually told to close [during the pandemic] so, theoretically, we could have been operating all through,” he said. “Our system is ideal for social distancing, with customers having no need to leave their cars. They are able to order food and drinks through our online system and, when they go to the toilet, they can wash their hands and use hand sanitiser.” He said an enthusiastic audience was eager to hook up the microphones on opening night, with “lots of bookings” to see Jumanji: The Next Level, Red Dog: True Blue, Back to the Future, Ferris Buellers Day Off, Bad Boys for Life and Mad Max. Stephen Taylor
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Frankston Times
9 June 2020
DUNKLEY MP Peta Murphy at Frankston’s Greek Senior Citizens Club, before social distancing restrictions. Picture: Supplied
Government grants go to groups FUNDING boosts have been handed to fourteen local community groups through the federal government’s local volunteers grants program. Amounts of up to $5000 were handed to the following groups: Carrum Downs Sri Lankan Seniors, City of Frankston Bowling Club, Community Support Frankston, Frankston Cancer Bag Group, Frankston Music Society, Local 2 Community, Mount Eliza Neighbourhood Centre, Mums Supporting Families in Need, Quillmoves, Rota-
ry Club of Frankston, St. John Ambulance Australia Victoria, Greek Senior Citizens Club of Frankston & Peninsula, Theordora House, and the Women’s Spirit Project Dunkley MP Peta Murphy said “recent events have reminded us of the importance of volunteers and their contribution to the Australian community.” “Local community groups will be receiving a much needed and well deserved boost through these volunteer grants. I am disappointed
however that, because the funding pool was insufficient, many will miss out,” she said. “Despite around 70 per cent of worthy applications missing out in previous rounds of volunteer grant funding, the federal government limited this round of grants to $66,000 per electorate. Without explanation, only $63,000 was awarded in Dunkley. Because of the funding limit, 21 Dunkley volunteer groups that applied for assistance missed out.”