Page 18 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, y October 28, 2015
www.MelbourneObserver.com.au
A hit at Whitehorse Spring Festival Freemasons support NOSH
● OFA Grants Manager, Natarla Reid; OFA Chief Operating Officer, Steve Clifford; with David Gibbs. ■ The Freemasons’ Foundation has donated $5000 to Open Family Australia so that the not-for-profit organisation can continue to support the young people of Wyndham. More specifically, the funding will assist with operating the NOSH (Nutrition, Outreach, Support and Health) mobile street-outreach service, which provides: crisis support, blankets, food and warm clothing to young people experiencing poverty and disadvantage, family violence or homelessness. The program is staffed by highly specialised street outreach workers both in the day, and in the evenings, and targets "hot spots" where young people congregate such as parks, railway stations, under bridges (where young people are sleeping rough) and shopping malls in order to support their immediate and longer term care needs.
● Craig Mason of Quest Lodge and Shearn Leong of Clifton Hill Lodge standing at the Freemasons Victoria stand. ■ The sun was out for the Freemawere standing by to answer all sorts sons at the Whitehorse Spring Festiof questions, Craig saying that most val on Sunday, October 18. knew little of the great fraternity. With a 4m x 2m tent resembling a Emergency services crews from mini Lodge Room, the community was the SES, Victoria Police and the Metintrigued to find out more. ropolitan Fire Brigade were all there Co-ordinator Peter Atkin said that allowing the community to get inside he was pleased with the interest in the the trucks, pull the horns, activate the tent, saying afterwards that they resirens and fiddle with all of the highceived 19 names of people who would tech gadgets. On November 8, Freelike to attend the Masonic Open Day masons Victoria will be participating (date to be arranged) which is planned in the Maroondah Festival in to be held at the Maroondah Masonic Craig Mason of Quest Lodge and Croydon, and on November, 22 at Shearn Leong of Clifton Hill Lodge the Lilydale Show. Centre.
Cyclone Pam Fund enables library
● Victoria Police officers at the emergency services stand at the Whitehorse Spring Festival
Clunes supports health service
● The Lodge delegation being led onto the school grounds ■ October was a great month for Lodge of Discovery, Freemasonry and the pupils of Suango School in Mele. It was seven months ago that a category five tropical cyclone swept past the island of Efate in Vanuatu and seriously damaged or destroyed the school buildings in the community. Now, with the generous donations of many individuals, Lodges and Masonic organisations around the world, Lodge of Discovery was able to give back to Mele a new library and media room. The new building has been relocated away from the rear of the grounds, close to an area of swampland, to a new site more central to the other buildings where it now overlooks Port Vila Bay. The build took around three months to complete and came in within budget. The verandah is additional to the original plans as it was felt it was more practical for the school especially when it rains. The delegation from the Lodge was brought on to the school grounds by traditional dancers and after a welcome song by the pupils, were given typical salou salou garlands. There were speeches by the school head teacher as well as the two local chiefs who all reiterated the importance of the library to the community and their gratitude to Freemasonry for making it possible. Lodge Master, Rick Burns spoke in the Ni-Vanuatu language of Bislama about the worldwide membership of Masonry, about life-long learning, the charitable nature of Freemasons and how the Lodge was particularly drawn to helping out the school by funding the library. To show their appreciation, members of the Lodge and the building team were presented with traditionally woven mats, a custom in Vanuatu. The most senior member of the Lodge, Alan Churchill, was chosen to represent Freemasonry as a wider organisation and cut the ribbon to the building, thereby granting the school its new library.
■ Residents of Clunes will benefit from a donation by the All Nations Masonic Lodge to support welfare programs at Clunes Community Health Centre. The Masonic Lodge has for some years been making a donation in support of emergency requirements such as food vouchers and short term accommodation to meet the needs of the local community. The donation was matched dollarfor-dollar by the Freemasons Foundation with a total of $600 presented to Trish Collocott, CEO of Hepburn Health. "This is an invaluable contribution which will provide support for vulnerable people in our community,” said Trish. "We greatly appreciate the longstanding support of the Clunes Masonic Lodge." The cheque was presented by Ray Jessup and Gary Elliott. "The staff at Clunes Community Health provide a great service to the Clunes community and we are very pleased to support their work," said Ray.
● Gary Elliott presents Hepburn Health CEO, Trish Collocott, with a donation to support the Welfare Program at Clunes Community Health Centre.
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