Two new activities will be conducted during the 2nd Semester –

The first activity is HOT TOPICS – 3rd Friday of the Month – 1.30pm to 3.30pm – the Convenors are Carole Marple and Joan Laing.

Do you enjoy discussing current affairs?  In today’s world of disasters with half-baked solutions we feel  that we all have some of the solutions to these problems and yet we have no outlet for our views.  Well, we have now!  It is called ‘Hot Topics’ and will cover topics ranging from Reality Television to the Uluru Statement, from Climate Change to Tabloid Journalism, from Euthanasia to the Newstart allowance.  Topics discussed will be wide ranging, but there will always be a topic set for a chaired discussion and you will get a chance to prepare your thoughts for the next session.  Come along, It will be great to get things ‘off your chest’. 
 
The second activity is BE CONNECTED which is an Australian Government initiative to help people make the most out of being online. We will be going through some online learning modules to give you better skills when using the internet.

Be Connected will run during Semester II and include two short courses; one for Apple Users and another for Android users

The Be Connected Course for Apple users will be held at 1:30pm - 3:30pm on Wednesdays 18th July, 1st and 15th August

The Be Connected Course for Android users will be held at .1:30pm - 3:30pm on Wednesdays 29th August, 5th September and 19th September

To Be Connected online can mean:
·         Talking to family and friends who live far away
·         Keeping up to date with what’s happening in your community
·         Shopping online safely and securely
·         Following interests and hobbies online
 

The Annual General Meeting of U3A Benalla Inc. was held on Wednesday 21st March 2018 prior to Meet and Mingle.   Extensions of the terms of eligible office bearers and the positions of Treasurer (Neville Gibb), Publicity Officer (Cheryl Turner) and a general member (Heather Wallace, also new Newsletter Editor) were decided upon.  

Dorothy Webber's report for the AGM is available on the President's page - click here.

There have been some 'tweaks' to the timetable:
. 
Tech Savvy Projects - now in three subgroups 2nd and 4th Tuesdays  - ‘Family History Projects’ 1.30 to 3 pm; ‘Other Projects’ 3 pm to 4.30 pm.  4th Thursday 1 to 2.30 pm  'E-Shed; projects (before Tech Savvy Talks' cafe discussion group).

​Recorder Group - change of time to 12 to 1 pm  on 1st Wednesday (from 12.15-1.15 pm)

Playreading Group - change of time to 9.30 am to 12 midday on 1st Wednesday

Travel Club - change of name to Travel Group.

Tech Savvy Talks café discussion group –venue change from Rustik to ‘The Northo’ 3 pm 4th Thurs.

Please note that Wednesday 25 April is Anzac Day. Wine Appreciation is meeting as usual on Anzac Day, with a trip to Pfeiffer Wines,  but Recorder Group is not meeting. Check 'What’s On' in the newsletter or keep an eye of the calendar on this website for last minute updates.

Swanpool and District are holding their Swap Meet and Village Market, incorporating also an all Vehicle Show and Shine, on Sunday the 18th March 2018 at the Albert Heaney Oval 2426 Midland Highway (B300) , Swanpool Vic 3673.   This is a community event run entirely  by Volunteers to benefit the Swanpool Community.  

Make a day of it, go along with your family, friends, U3A colleagues etc and add to the success of this event.

There is a lot on offer in Swanpool and District - to find out more, go to the website and discover for yourself: www.swanpoolanddistrict.com.au

​Su Hughes, a long-time member of U3A and a Life Member has died recently and was cremated in a private ceremony. 

​Thank you, Su, for your long and active association with U3A Benalla.

We have some surplus equipment and invite members to submit an expression of interest for any items:
​
· Bauhn TV
· Entertainment Cabinet
· Kindle e reader

Submit your expressions of interest with a list of item(s) required, price offered and your contact details by 28 February to:
​
Secretary
U3A Benalla
PO Box 674 Benalla 3672

Friday 2 February 6.00 p.m.  Local Author Glenna Thomson will launch and share her new work `Stella and Margie'. Inspired by Benalla and District, the novel explores inter-generational friendship, love and duty, acceptance and reconciliation.  Books will be available for purchase at the lunch.

Tuesday 13th February 2 p.m.  Author Linda Bootherstone well known travel writer, artist and musician joins us to share her intrepid travel adventures from her three published travel journals.

Tuesday 20th February 10.30 a.m.  Author Jeremy Scott, Melbourne based Adventurer, author and keynote speaker for a special journey.  Jeremy shares his life story from childhood open heart surgery to cycling 52,000 km. around the globe.

Friday 23rd March 1.00 p.m. Fiona Lowe, Australian author shares her new gripping family saga `Birthright'.  Set in Victoria's High Country.

​Don't forget to phone the library to let them know you will be attending. 

Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop Learning Centre (Benalla Library) 2 Fawckner Drive, Benalla VIC 3672   Phone: 03 5762 2069
​

"Two Benalla U3A enrolment days will be held in January.
The first at "The Hub" Cooinda on January 15 and the second at the Seniors Community Building on January 17.
Both will run from 9.30 am to 11.30 am.  
Any enquiries are welcome on enrolment day.
Many U3A members and members of the Senior Citizens Centre late last year.
Federal Member for Indi Cathy McGowan, Benalla Rural City Mayor Don Firth and U3A network President Elsie Mutton spoke at the opening.
In the same week the U3A Singing for Fun group entertained a large audience with their singing. 
The three conductors, Faith Hicks, Brian Greed and Margaret Merriman, each conducted a bracket of songs which were well received by an appreciative audience.
Peter Simpson's solo act caused much merriment.
The Patchwork group had a number of their quilts on display, which created a lot of interest and comment.
A delicious morning tea was served after the performance.
The U3A Executive and Program Committee finalised the program for 2018 with several new programs on offer.  
These include "Recorder", "Exercises for Fun", "Stock and Land" and "Travel Club".
Travel Club is proving popular with members, several of whom have already booked on the planned cruise to Kangaroo Island.
iPad for Beginners, Tech Savvy Projects and Tech Savvy Talks will cater for technically minded members, while "Exercises for Fun" are mild exercises to music and fun for all ages.
"Some Moments in Australian History" will fun in Semester 1 and cover five topics.
With these new programs plus the existing ones, which will again run, some hard decisions might have to be made as to which to choose".
Judith Borthwick, Publicity Officer

This article, prepared by Publicity Officer Judith Borthwick, appeared on Page 8 in the Benalla Ensign on January 10, 2018  

Enrolments for 2018 will be held between 9:30 and 11:30 at Cooinda on 15 January and Senior Citizens Centre on 17 January.  Here are links to the key enrolment documents for 2018:

Program Guide 2018
Membership Applic'n/Renewal 
​Timetable 2018--Month Overview

​Membership for 2018 remains at $30 per person. Newsletters are emailed free of charge; if you require your newsletter posted there is an additional charge of $10 for postage.

After Enrolment Day, forms can be left with payment at RedB4 Bookshop (next to HIde's Bakery) or a cheque, with application form, can be mailed to: Secretary U3A PO Box 674 Benalla Vic 3671

Exercises for Fun with Helen Jeffree
Mondays from 9.30 to 11.30 Main room, Benalla Senior Citizens Community Centre 
Have you heard the saying "If you don't move it, you lose it"?
Well, these mild exercises to music are fun for all ages and will be held weekly.
Come along, enjoy the morning, and socialise with a cuppa after.  All members welcome!

Recorder Group with Janet Douglas
Main session on the fourth Wednesday from 10 am to 12 midday, with a lunchtime practice session on the first Wednesday from 12.15 to 1.15 pm.
‘I wish I hadn’t given up  learning …music, the violin. piano, recorder, guitar…’  Music teacher Janet Douglas says she would be very wealthy if she received $1 every time she heard an older person say this!  .Janet believes it’s never too late to learn music or to learn a musical instrument and considers the recorder a good choice as it is such an accessible instrument.   A group for beginners to intermediate, there will also be scope for more proficient users of the recorder to play together and mentor others.   Unlike most U3A courses, there will be homework.  You will need to practise--there’s no other way to learn and improve!   

Some Moments in Australian History with Meg Dillon
Second and fourth Fridays 1.30 to 3.30pm first semester only.
“History” is very much a “shape shifter”. It’s a personal presentation that reflects a particular historian’s point of view. So there is no such thing as infallible history only various propositions about what probably happened. We can never truly recreate the past, but only interpret it according to the best evidence that has survived and our personal beliefs about what the evidence shows.
We will use discussion, art, photos and videos where possible to explore the following five topics that are based mostly in the nineteenth century.
· The indomitable Captain William Bligh: Hero or Villain?
· The Squatter Kings in Grass Castles
· The Large Hole in the Ground
· The Boom/Bust Years. Is it all about greed?
· The Growth of the Labour Movement in the 1890s

Stock and Land/Country Matters/ (Name to be finalised when group meets) 
Led by David Palmer & Kathy Murphy on first Tuesday 10-12
Are you a regular watcher of ‘Country Wide’ or reader of ‘Stock and Land’ or ‘The Weekly Times’? Did you grow up on, run, still run, or downshift into Benalla from a farm? Perhaps you studied or taught food and agriculture related courses or worked in an area related to agriculture? Or perhaps, like most of us, you are interested in where food comes from. This group aims to provide a regular forum for members with interest and experience in agriculture to discuss agricultural issues and current developments in farming. Monthly two-hour sessions will feature well informed speakers from particular areas of farming who will share their story, their understanding of current issues and developments in their field of farming. This will be followed by questions and discussion. The group will also discuss current news and events in farming and share stories of ‘our farms’.

Apple iPad for Beginners 
1st and 3rd Wednesday 1:30 - 3:00 pm  U3A Meeting Room      
Contact Jenny Sawyer   Ph: 0409545182
Do you have an Apple iPad and don't know where to start?
We hold two sessions per month for beginners keen to develop skills and confidence in using and managing their device for emails, photography, internet searching and more.
Tech Savvy mentors will provide one to one assistance and small group tuition.
You can borrow one of our iPads if you don't have your own.

Tech Savvy Projects with Bev Lee will be offered by Bev Lee and specialist tutors on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday between 1 and 4.30 pm in the U3A Meeting Room.  
Have you a project you’d like to work on using information technology?  Tech Savvy Projects provides the opportunity for members to complete family history projects using Ancestry.com; create a photo-book; develop a blog or a website; or even create a small robot using an Arduino board. An alternate fortnightly session will provide a drop in opportunity to gain additional support for projects.  Small group sessions.  

U3A Benalla Travel Club    
Judy Perry is convening a new activity - the U3A Benalla Travel Club - for those who love to travel but don't always want to travel alone.  The  Benalla U3A Travel Club will particularly appeal to budget solo and 'timid travellers'. Two trips inside Australia and one overseas trip each year will be preplanned by the convenor, experienced traveller Judy Perry, in consultation with group members.  Regular sessions will be held each month to discuss plans and trips.  A wonderful chance to keep your travel options open!

Jenny Sawyer, convenor of Tech Savvy Beginners, pictured with Patsy at enrolment day, January 2017.  In 2018 Jenny is convening 'iPad for Beginners'.  

Volunteers at the Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop Learning Centre (Benalla Library) help with basic computer tasks like setting up an email account, searching the internet, transferring photos and filling out online forms.

The free, one-on-one Tech Help sessions are held at the Library every second Tuesday from 10 October 2017 between 1pm and 3pm.

If you have good computer skills and would like to be a Tech Help volunteers, please contact the Customer Service Centre on 03 5760 2600 or email council@benalla.vic.gov.au. 

If you have a learning need, particularly if you are using something other than an iPad (we have an iPad beginners group in 2018) or it's the holidays, bookings for the library's program are essential - phone on 035762 2069.  Book a library computer or bring your own device.

Please note that the sessions are for helping with tasks, not computer repair.  

Intrepid traveller Judy Perry has decided to share her love of travel with other U3A members in an active and exciting way.  Judy will be running a new course in 2918 - the U3A Benalla Travel Club:  

Judy has already designed the first trip - it will commence on March 18th and provides a wonderful way to travel and enjoy Kangaroo Island....

If you are interested in finding out more, please phone Judy as soon as possible as she needs expressions of interest as soon as possible.  

​Each year the Goulburn Valley U3A runs a tour which they let us know about in case members would like to join them.  Last year two of our members joined GV U3A's trip to Tasmania and reported most favourably on it.

In 2018 Benalla U3A has a new  'Travel Club', however we'd like to share the GV U3A Snowy Mountains Tumut 2018 tour information with you as we usually do in case it is of interest.  It is scheduled at the same time as our travel club's first cruise to Kangaroo Island, but perhaps some people will be interested.

​The 'Snowy Mountains Tumut' tour departs on Monday 19th March 2018

Day 1 - Monday 19th March - Boggy Street Station - Batlow - Tumut
Day 2 - Tuesday 20th March - Tumut - Snowy Mountains - Cooma
Day 3 - Wednesday 21st March - Cooma Guided Tour - Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre
Day 4 - Thursday 22nd March - Jindabyne - Thredbo - Charlotte's Pass
Day 5 - Friday 23rd March - Cabramurra - Corryong 
​
Highlights:

• Boggy Creek Station
• Tumut Broom Factory
• Blowering Reservoir
• Tumut 3 Power Station
• Snowy Mountains Museum
• Snowy Mountains Hydro - Electric Scheme3
• Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre
• Centennial Park - Banjo Patterson's - "The Man from Snowy River"
• Gladstone Lookout
• Thredbo
• Kosciuszko National Park
• Perisher
• Charlottes Pass
• Cabramurra

​Fare: $860 per person twin share based on 30 - 34 passengers  Single supplement $220
Deposit $200 due now - Balance Jan 30th 2018

Payment to trip treasurer Brian Gannon - would prefer cheque or GV U3A Trip Account BSB 633 108 Acc No 1298 96049

For more information, contact Trip Coordinator Kevin Jordan 0418575154

This tour is conducted in association with Fords Coach Travel 19 Wheeler Street, Shepparton 5821 3777

​A great follow up to U3A Legal Matters sessions. Advanced Care Planning can be a confronting subject but was made comfortable, acceptable and necessary by the presenters: Deb Smith, Community Health Nurse, Benalla Health; Chris Thorne, Aboriginal Support Worker, Central Hume Primary Care Partnership and April Betheras, Loss and Grief Counsellor, Benalla Health. 

Margaret Walshe (right) introducing from left Chris Thorne, April Betheras and Deb Smith.