The Lions Pride
MARCH 2015
Newsletter of the Lions Club of Moorabbin Inc.
PO Box 1144 Moorabbin Phone (03) 9583 6281
Website - http://moorabbin.vic.lions.org.au
Email – [email protected]
Bill Tomkinson – President , Gillian Lelah – Secretary , John Lissenburg – Treasurer
Editor Sam Dalley, [email protected]
'Youth Of The Year' Entrants Impress
Four students representing Cheltenham Secondary College and Kilvington
Grammar School gave a very impressive performances when they competed
in Moorabbin Lions 'Youth Of The Year' quest at the 'Sandbelt Hotel' on
February 18th. The overall 'YOTY' winner was Kilvington Grammar School
student Grace Boschetti , whilst the Public Speaking Award went to
Cheltenham Secondary College student Micheal Su.
Grace Boschetti, a Year 11 student at Kilvington, is the School debating
captain, and was a member of Student Representative Council in 2013. Grace
has a wide range of interests including creative writing, reading, skiing,
calisthenics, music and sport. She attends the Chadstone Calisthenics Club,
and also finds time for hockey and softball. Grace's community involvement
includes Crossway Baptist Church, and volunteering through the school
program at Blue Cross Autumdale Age Care facility over a six month period.
In her prepared speech, Grace challenged the widely held stereotype of the
angry man-hating feminist constantly playing the victim. Feminism's aims
had always been about achieving equality in all areas of life for all people –
including political, social, cultural economic, and personal rights. She
pointed out that half a million women in Australia are effected by domestic Moorabbin Lions Club
violence, and feminism had a part to play in changing community attitudes. YOTY winner for 2015,
Grace Boschetti
Long term strategies needed to be put in place to overcome the problem.
Back Row: YOTY Judging Panel Greg Alabaster
(Chairperson,) Fay Thorne, and Scott Lennard
James Wilkinson (Cheltenham Secondary College,)
Public Speaking Award Winner Micheal Su,
Moorabbin Lions Youth Of The Year Grace
Boschetti, and
Eleanor Cook (Kilvington
Grammar.)
FIND YOUR MARBLES!
Lyn Mather (a 'Friend Of Moorabbin Lions
Club,) makes packs of marbles as gifts for
young boys. She is looking for marbles and
is hoping that some of our members or their
friends may have some that they do not need
anymore.
If anybody has any marbles lying around,
would they please pass them on to Lion
Jessie Brent.
Prior to presenting their prepared speeches, each of the four students had
to give two minute speeches on two subjects set by judging panelists,
former Kingston City Councillor Greg Alabaster (Chairperson,) Golden
Days Radio 95.7FM Presenter Fay Thorne, and Scott Lennard Scott who
has been involved in educational programs for UN Youth Australia.
Year 12 Cheltenham Secondary College student Micheal Su won the
Public Speaking Award with a call for stricter disciplining of children.
Micheal is currently Year 12 Blue House Captain, and Vice Captain of
Indoor Soccer, and also participated in the Debating team. In addition to
a wide rang of sporting activities, Micheal is a passionate film maker
having won second place in both the International Silent Film Festival
and 'Best Special Effects' in the Monash Youth Film Festival.
In his prepared speech Micheal asserted that the failure of parents to
properly discipline their young children has lead to the unruly behavior of
teenagers in our streets, and increasing numbers of young people 'doing
drugs.' He rather contentiously suggested that the increase in this
antisocial behavior coincided with the decrease in the number of parents
disciplining their young children with a slap. However he stressed that a
child should never be slapped in anger.
Judging Panel Chairperson Greg Alabaster, before announcing the
winners, thanked his fellow judges for their very sincere and dedication
to the judging process. “We were particularly impressed with the levels
of achievement and high standard of all the students during the course of
the competition. Public speaking isn't easy – as a former councilor I can
tell you that a lot of people wouldn't even attempt to do what our students
have done tonight.”
“On behalf of the judges, a big thank you to the Moorabbin Lions Club,
particularly Gillian Lelah for not just staging the competition, but
ensuring that everything ran smoothly.”
The Lions Pride
Moorabbin and Sandringham Lions, and the
ALF provide wheelchair and walker for Jude
Moorabbin and Sandringham Lions, and the Australian Lions Foundation
provided funding to enable the purchase of a specially made wheelchair and
walker for young Jude when he was five-years-old. He is now six; some time ago
he received the walker but the wheelchair needed quite a few adjustments due to
his disability. He is unable to walk, speak, feed himself and much more and he
requires support 24 hours a day. Lions visited the family at Christmas with a card
and Lions cake from the two Clubs.
It was a good opportunity to take a few snaps, the shot on left shows mum
Georgie, young Jude, dad John and brother Cam. It is difficult for Jude to move
even with help, and his communication skills are minimal. Jude’s family is very
appreciative of Lions support. We will also provide a report and photos to the
ALF. Jude will need a bigger wheelchair and walker in about three to four years
as he grows, it is hoped that the Clubs will be able to assist further when
necessary. This young man and his family deserve all the help we can give . . .
– Bev McLennan, Sandringham Lions Secretary
DIARY DATES
MARCH
Wed 4th Business Meeting
Thurs 5th Book Sale at The Den
Sat 14th River Cruise to Williamstown
Meet at Berth 1, Southgate 10am
Sun 15th YOTY Zone Final – Sandringham LC
Wed 18th Dinner Meeting – Guest Speaker
Steve Haylock, Melbourne City Mission
Sat 28th Book Sale at The Den 9am – 3pm
Youth of the Year District Final
'Quest Knox' Mountain Hwy Wantirna
6pm for a 6:30pm start
MOORABBIN LIONS PARTNER
WITH URBAN FOREST GROUP
YOUTH, OUR FUTURE
Participants in our recent club final of 'Youth Of The
Year' were perhaps a little more at ease than usual in
the presence on our Master of Ceremonies, Lion Louise
Maplestone who, at the ripe old age of 22yrs., is
Moorabbin's youngest member – a trend Lions
International is trying to encourage.
With this in mind, it was interesting to read Lion
Glynn Jones article on Lions Aust. CEO Rob
Oerlemans blog about the launching of the new The
Adelaide University Lions Club.
If you'd asked Glynn twelve months what he knew
about the Lions Club, the first thing that would have
come to mind is the 6 year old pestering his mum to
buy some Lions Club mints from the Penrith branch of
the State Bank, or a sausage sizzle at Bunnings – “that
is where my knowledge would have ended.”
“So what has got me so excited? What has made me
change the way I see my studies? The Adelaide
University Lions Club is the reason why I’m so excited.
This brand new club has the potential to be a driving
force in connecting the University of Adelaide to its
community.
It has the potential to take University students away
from the laptops and into the community.”
Moorabbin Lions Pres. Billy Tomkinson, Cerise de Gelder, Craig
Walker, Marilyn and John Lissenburg, Di Fensham, Mandy FraserJones, Gillian Lelah and friends were glad to take a break on 'Clean
Up Australia Day,' after collecting some sixteen bags of rubbish, as
well as a TV, office chair and one bong!
Nineteen energetic community
members spent Sunday March 1st
– Clean Up Australia Day – in the
Moorabbin Reserve and assisting
with the BBQ which followed.
Activities stretched from Linton
Street, Moorabbin, through to
Doonga Avenue, and also included
the area around the Football Oval.
The activity was organised by the
Moorabbin Lions Club, thirteen of
whom participated on the day.
A big thank you to Moorabbin Lions taking part on the day: President
Billy Tomkinson Susie Tomkinson; Craig Walker; John & Marilyn
Lissenburg; Geoff Thomas; Cerise de Gelder; Di Fensham; Gillian
Lelah; Stuart Moyns; Marlene & Lex Richardson and Charlie Smith.
The Lions Pride
Laugh Out Loud!
What a wonderful thing, a packed cinema of
Lions and friends gathered together to
support a great cause, and unafraid to laugh
out loud – something of a rare experience
modern cinemas these days!
Six Moorabbin Lions were among the 100,
or so people for the screening of ' The
Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' at
fundraiser at the Dendy Cinema Brighton
organized by Sandringham Lions Club to
raise much needed money for 'Kids Like Us
Ferry to Williamstown – Club Outing
Saturday 14th of March.
Those attending please meet at 10am at Berth 1 Southgate - next to
Elizabeth St Walkbridge. This is where you purchase your ticket. $28 return
each.
The Ferry DEPARTS at 10.30am. Please allow plenty of time for Parking which
is available at Southgate Complex, Eureka Towers (Langham Hotel) Crown
Casino.
Australia (KLUA)' – a community services
organization run on a social enterprise
established in February 2013 offering a
comprehensive support structure for
twice-exceptional
students
(gifted
students with learning differences) and
students living with the challenges of
dyslexia, through the provision of learning
and emotional support, advocacy, peer-topeer support, and a sense of belonging.
KLUA was inspired by three children with
a strong social conscience who identified
that there was a need to provide support
to other twice exceptional students, and
to reduce the isolation and distress that
they saw in other twice exceptional
children in Australia. They then asked
some professionals in the field to do
something about it.
Since February 2013 'KLUA,' (a
registered charity,) has developed
programs, trained staff, and currently
provides counselling, learning support
and advocacy services to students aged
between 4 and 23 years old. They provide
services from their rooms in Sandringham
Vic, and reach out
across Australia
regularly visiting the Northern Territory,
Queensland and South Australia.
BIRTHDAYS
3rd
24th
24th
March
Geoff Thomas
Marilyn Lissenburg
Russell Jackson
Lions Children’s Mobility Foundation
Lions within Australia work with Cerebral
Palsy Associations to assist children with
Cerebral Palsy, funding Hart Walkers and
other mobility devices.
MOORABBIN LIONS PARTNER WITH URBAN FOREST
GROUP Cont..
A big thank you also to Marilyn and John for organising chairs & trestle tables,
and for erecting the Marquee and the feather banners, both in the park and on
the nature strip. which alerted residents to something special going on.
We greatly appreciate Lex & Marlene Richardson yet again kindly hosting the
BBQ by allowing us to use their garden. Much appreciated was Stuart Moyns
food preparation & cooking, which with the social interaction at the end of
clean-up, made it a most enjoyable morning for everyone present.
Working alongside Moorabbin Lions were Jeremy Hewett: President of Linton
Street (Moorabbin) Community Urban Forest Project Inc, Angus Hewett &
John Atkinson, the Vice President of this group. which has just celebrated 21
years. When the group started out, this area from Linton Street through to
Doonga Avenue was barren, neglected & often muddy, but it has over the
years, with the planting of hundreds of trees, shrubs & grasses, been
transformed into a beautiful green haven, blocking out the built form and
concrete surrounding it, and much loved by local residents and those from
further afield, not to mention dogs, birds & other wildlife.
Also working energetically on-the-day were community members Mandy
Fraser-Jones & Sanai & Kento Hikima, who made a very valuable contribution
towards the 16 bags of rubbish which were collected.
Gillian Lelah, Lions Club Site Organiser said: “The effect of Clean Up
Australia Days, combined with the continual maintenance efforts by some
residents throughout the year, is making this a better environment for everyone
to enjoy." In the past 25 years, Australians have devoted more than 27.2
million hours towards the environment through Clean Up Australia Day and
collected over 288,650 tonnes of rubbish. The appeal of Clean Up the World
(an estimated 40 million people from 130 countries take part) has demonstrated
that this simple Australian idea has universal appeal and the health of the
environment is of concern to people and communities worldwide.