| starcommunity.com.au
Page 6 Tuesday, 24 June, 2014
Connecting people and communities RTM
Jumps reminder not to skip heart health By REBECCA BILLS STUDENTS skipped for a great cause to raise money for heart disease. Earlier this month, all students at Belgrave South Primary School took part in the Heart Foundation’s Jump Rope for Heart 2014. The school takes part in this event every two years with grade six leaders Bridget and Tyler organising this year’s event. Both leaders said it was a challenge to get everything ready and to plan all the activities but was definitely worth it. “It’s good to get everybody active, have lots of fun and raise some money for a good cause,” Tyler said. Grade 6 teacher Julie Price said all the students get excited in the lead-up to the event. “A lot of kids have had grandparents die or be affected by heart attacks and heart disease so it’s a really important fund-raiser in that respect, too,” she said. “It promotes healthy living and that’s another reason why we are doing it. “This is also a great leadership op-
portunity, not just for Bridget and Tyler to step up but for all Grade 6 students, as they are manning the different groups, teaching skills and mentoring the younger students through the activities.” Since the inception of the Heart Foundation’s Jump Rope for Heart more than 30 years ago, more than 90 per cent of all Australian schools, reaching 8 million school children, have participated in the program. Jump Rope for Heart Field Officer Mitchell Watson said the program helps students understand how physical activity and nutritional behaviours can impact on their health in the future and help those who have already been affected. “I have seen the impact of heart disease in my own family, especially in my dad over the past few years, so I’m extremely grateful to be able to speak to students about why heart disease matters and the positive work of the Heart Foundation,” he said. “It’s wonderful to see how willing schools are to join the fight against heart disease.”
By JESSE GRAHAM
From left, Brylie, Tyler, Jake, Bridget and Maddi enjoying the Jump Picture: REBECCA BILLS Rope for Heart 2014. 122290
Emma’s a citizen of the world By REBECCA BILLS SHE is an ambitious 11-year-old about to take on Japan. Upper Ferntree Gully (UFTG) Primary School Student Emma McLean is one of just six students across the country selected to represent Australia at the Asian Pacific Children’s Convention (APCC) in Fukuoka. Emma will be commencing her trip at the three-day convention in Fukuoka, then spending the rest of her time abroad in a home-stay arrangement with a Japanese family and attending a local school. Embarking on her trip in three weeks, Emma said she was excited to go and “fully embrace” the Japanese culture. Emma said when she initially applied for the trip she was more focused on going through the interview process than actually going on the trip. “But as I kept going with my interviews and the selection date was getting closer, I really wanted to be selected,” she said. “When you think about other countries you can only imagine what they are like, but actually going there, and being able to meet students from 59 other countries is just amazing.” UFTG Primary School Principal Peta Evans said for a young girl, Emma had shown great maturity and determination throughout the entirety of the application process. “I really admire her confidence and we can’t wait for her to return
Emma McLean with an Australian flag given to her by Member for La Trobe Jason Wood for her trip. 122294 Picture: GREG CARRICK and share her experience with us,” she said. “This trip really puts the students’ learning into focus and they can see and make connections of things they have learnt in class. “Our aim through the school’s Japanese program is to instil in our children specific responsibilities from a local to a global arena.” Ms Evans said for Emma to be able to speak with Japanese people and experience the culture of Japan would be a first-hand experience that would be immeasurable in her learning. Emma’s mother Bec McLean said she was extremely proud of her daughter embarking on the trip.
“I’m dreading the airport goodbye - it will be a long 14 days for us here at home,” she said. “Emma has always had an interest in learning anything new and experiencing everything and anything - she’s so driven to not miss out on any opportunities that may come her way.” The APCC is a civic movement which is funded by local governments as well as supported by donations from corporate sponsors and the APCC Supporters’ Association. The aim of the APCC is to foster global citizens who are able to think of the world beyond national boundaries and desire world peace and co-existence.
Parks weather warning out VISITORS to national parks and forests in the Yarra Ranges are being urged to take care as winter rains set in. Parks Victoria and the Department of Environment and Primary Industries urged avoiding areas that were closed down and to slow down and be careful when travelling on forest tracks and trails. “Safety for visitors, volunteers and staff working in parks and forests is paramount. Please plan your trip to make sure you, your friends and families safely enjoy your visits to parks and forests,” Parks Victoria’s General Manager Regional Services, Chris Rose said. Some tracks and trails are now closed as part of the seasonal road closure program in the interests of driver safety, as well as to protect forest and park roads from damage during the winter months. “Some forest roads and tracks close when the track surfaces are most likely to be damaged by vehicles,” DEPI State Roads and Bridges Planning Manager Tony Dowler said. “The closures are important because our forest roads and tracks become much more difficult for drivers to use safely over this period. “Some forest tracks would suffer significant damage if left open all year round so we assess them each year and then, after consultation with users including Four Wheel Drive Victoria, we decide which tracks need to be closed.” Mr Rose said the partnership approach helped to protect parks based on the best available information. Information about road and track closures is available from the Public Access Map site in the recreation and tourism section at www.depi.vic. gov.au. Further maps and information about park conditions is available from Parks Victoria at www. parks.vic.gov.au.
Opinion Road of refuse THIS morning, as with almost every morning since McDonald’s opened in Tecoma, my commute from Ferny Creek to Upper Ferntree Gully railway station was marred by seeing McDonald’s rubbish strewn along the roadside. If this is how it is in Ferny Creek, I’d hate to see what the streets closer to Tecoma are like. It is heartbreaking to see our beautiful hills abused in this way. I am so lucky to have had the privi-
Day care hanging in the balance FAMILY day care services offered by Yarra Ranges Council could cease as of next year following a decision at tonight’s (Tuesday) council meeting. But, though a conclusion has not been reached, the council has said that stopping the service won’t adversely impact families and educators. At the council’s 24 June meeting, councillors will discuss the possibility of ending provision of its Family Day Care (FDC) Scheme for the municipality. The move to stop the scheme has come as a result of financial pressure, according to Yarra Ranges Council’s Director of Social and Economic Development Ali Wastie. Ms Wastie said that federal budget cuts to the FDC scheme of about $67,000 as well as ongoing council subsidies to the scheme are making it unsustainable. The council is funding the scheme with a $92,000 subsidy for the 2013-2014 financial year which, according to the council, is about $1 for every hour of care delivered by educators. Ms Wastie said that, while cost neutrality is not the only determinant for keeping a service running, ending the council’s FDC scheme will have little social impact, with five other providers servicing the area. “By exiting, there’s no loss in social benefit,” she said. “We have to weigh up the social benefit in this decision.” If the scheme is ended, the council will transition families on FDC programs to other providers before services would be due to cease on 1 July 2015. Council employees could be accommodated elsewhere in the company, or would possibly leave to work with other providers, according to Ms Wastie. However, she emphasised that nothing was final until the councillors made a decision. “We’re anticipating that there will be concern out there - internally, there’s concern for staff who are impacted,” Ms Wastie said. “We’re working with staff to make sure they get necessary support - but we’ll wait until next Tuesday to find out what the council decision is.” The council employs 21 educators who provide childcare for 101 families across the Yarra Ranges. For the result of tonight’s Yarra Ranges Council meeting, visit mail.starcommunity.com.au and see next week’s Mail.
Send your letters to: editor@yvnews.com.au lege of growing up in the hills and now raising my family here too but McDonald’s is ruining what once was such a special place. McDonald’s should never have been built in the hills. Jessica Tindall, Ferny Creek.
Doesn’t add up I am aghast at the article by Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe (Your Opinions Are Sought, Mail, Tuesday 3 June). Is she suffering from early demen-
tia? She did not mention a key infrastructure which is Lilydale TAFE and university which needs to be maintained and re-opened for the benefit of the Yarra Ranges community. It is a magnificent purpose-built educational facility geared to the ongoing education of our young people. We need this infrastructure to educate, support and encourage our young people toward continuing employment in our community. Katharina Perry, Lilydale.
We don’t dig coal ADDRESSING the Minerals Council, Prime Minister Abbott said it would be irresponsible for Australia to not dig up its coal and sell it. Tony, selling coal is definitely not responsible because coal is fuelling climate change. If we sell most of our coal we will have no chance of restricting global warming to two degrees or leaving a safe climate for our grandchildren and descendants. Selling our coal will simply be
short term gain in exchange for long term pain. Fortunately, the Bendigo Bank gets this. Recently it decided not to invest in coal or coal seam gas. With a good network of community banks around the hills, Dandenong Ranges residents now have an ethical bank they can deposit their money with. Well done Bendigo Bank! Peter Cook, Clematis.