Posts related to 'committee member'

Volunteer Recognition Function 2008

Published by Alex Makin on Thursday 13th of November, 2008

Volunteers form the lifeblood of any society through the time and dedication they provide to assist the wider community. Today’s Volunteer Recognition Function provided an opportunity to thank the many volunteers that devote their time to creating a better Maroondah.

Whether its people providing Meals on Wheels, advocacy on behalf of their community, assisting in causes such as Red Cross, or delivering services through community houses and other facilities, volunteers are essential to any municipality. One of the key challenges facing our society is the need to encourage additional volunteers so that the spirit of our community can continue to flourish.

I would like to thank the many volunteers within Maroondah and the many community groups that I have met over the past three years. I thank you for the time you have provided to the many causes and services that exist within Maroondah.

Eastern Volunteers 2008 AGM

Published by Alex Makin on Wednesday 8th of October, 2008

Eastern Volunteers is a not for profit, community based organisation that provides community transport and volunteer recruitment within Maroondah, Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Eastern Volunteers is overseen by a voluntary Board and Management and consists of 14 part-time staff and approximately 100 volunteers. I have been a board member of Eastern Volunteers since the middle of this year and was officially nominated as a member of the board at the AGM.

The guest speaker was from Bendigo Bank who spoke about Bendigo’s community banks and the assistance that these banks can provide for community groups. The Bendigo community banking model demonstrates how the business sector can become involved in the local community and it is encouraging to see an increasing number of businesses assisting community organisations.

The AGM included several changes to Eastern Volunteers Rules of Incorporation to reflect deductible gift recipient status and to empower the organisation so it can raise funds for a new and accessible head office.

Rotary Club of Ringwood - Community fundraising ideas

Published by Alex Makin on Wednesday 17th of September, 2008

The Rotary Club of Ringwood meets each Wednesday evening and is one of the 51 clubs within Rotary District 9810, which spans Melbourne’s eastern and southeastern suburbs.

Tonight’s meeting included a presentation on community fundraising ideas by Melbourne Open Air Cinemas, which provides an outdoor move experience. The outdoor cinemas can be combined with community causes to assist in fundraising activities. A number of different sized screens are available, depending on the size of the area and the number of people that are expected to attend.

I am part of the Rotary Club of Ringwood Community Committee and the potential for an outdoor cinema event will be discussed as we consider fundraising projects to assist the many community causes that Rotary supports.

Discussing the Croydon Conservation Society with Channel 31’s Eastern Newsbeat

Published by Alex Makin on Saturday 31st of May, 2008

This morning the Croydon Conservation Society was interviewed as part of Channel 31’s Eastern News Beat program. Participants in the interview included the President, Liz Sanzaro, the Secretary, Sandra Hardiman, committee member Margot Seidel and myself as the group’s Treasurer.

The interview covered topics such as the history of the Croydon Conservation Society, its successes over tree canopy protection and parkland improvements and current campaigns such as lobbying for the introduction of container deposit legislation, similar to the successful program that has been operating in South Australia.

I also discussed the Croydon Conservation Society’s involvement in the lobbying for public transport improvements, including the need for ongoing advocacy to ensure the redevelopment of Ringwood Station. The Society provides a crucial voice for the Maroondah community and assists in demonstrating the support that exists to improving the sustainability of our municipality.

Eastern News Beat is a weekly program that provides news and information from Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. The program is broadcast each Monday at 9.00am and on Thursday at 11.30am.

For more information on Channel 31 please visit www.channel31.org.au. For information on the Croydon Conservation Society please visit www.croydonconservation.org.au.

North Ringwood Community House 2008 AGM

Published by Alex Makin on Tuesday 18th of March, 2008

The North Ringwood Community House, located at 120 Oban Road in North Ringwood, provides a range of courses in a friendly and nurturing environment.

The Community House is a community owned and managed centre, which is overseen by a voluntary committee of management. Today’s AGM included the election of committee members for the twelve months and I am pleased to have been re-nominated for the committee of management. Community houses provide a valuable educational experience, outside of the traditional concepts of education, and it is great to have further opportunities to provide input into the future direction for the facility.

The AGM’s guest speaker was Cath Connelly, a Celtic Harpist who spoke about her experiences with community houses - as a student, employee and trainer. Cath’s involvement led her to learning the harp which she teaches, as well as performs on a professional basis.

North Ringwood Community House has undertaken a number of innovative projects, including providing TAFE accredited courses and investigating the feasibility of an environmental hub in the eastern suburbs. Its success has meant it is fast outgrowing its current premises and planning must begin to investigate how the house can grow into the future. The current location, which is part of the Holy Spirit Primary School rather than being on council land, has meant that the house is unable to expand and cannot apply for council’s third/third/third grants which are provided for infrastructure works.

Discussions have begun with council to explore a new location for the house, that is located on council land within Ringwood North. I am committed to ensuring that North Ringwood Community House is able to grow into the future by finding a new site for the facility.