U3A Benalla and District Inc.
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Thank You, John Lloyd

15/2/2022

 
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Fifteen years ago, Sustainability Convenor John Lloyd joined Benalla U3A and found John Avery's 'Future Energy' class "right up my alley".  At the time John was building his house drawing on best practice principles for a sustainable environment, so there was much to share and talk about in the class.  The following year John Avery asked John to share the convening role, with John moving from joint convenor to convenor a year later. 

John convened 'Towards a Sustainable Future', now 'Sustainability', for 13 years.  On occasions, when busy on projects including his Presidency of the Benalla Sustainable Futures Group, John considered pulling back.  However, he highly valued the loyal group of interested class members who had come to know one another very well and delighted in his sessions (…despite having to occasionally remind them, 'Now, this isn't the politics class…', to prevent a discussion on an environmental issue becoming derailed!)

John's continued interest and extensive reading on environmental issues set the scene for each fortnightly session.  He arrived at each class with evidence-based articles from reputable writers to photocopy, distribute and discuss with class members.  During the Pandemic, John distributed these articles on-line to members before sessions, some of which he facilitated using 'Zoom'. 

After turning 80, further ‘down shifting’ was in order, but the U3A 'Sustainability' group remained high on John’s agenda. However, John and Freida have decided to leave the beautiful sustainable home in which they have been so comfortable - which must be difficult - to move to the Bendigo/Castlemaine area, closer to Freida's family.

Thank you so much for sharing your passion for a sustainable future, John.   Concerned that future generations will suffer from our inaction, you prompted us to consider, "What did you do once you knew?" inspired by a poem by Drew Dillinger you found particularly challenging
​
It's 3:23 in the morning
and I'm awake
because my great great grandchildren
won't let me sleep,
my great great grandchildren
ask me in dreams
What did you do while the planet was plundered?
What did you do when the earth was unravelling?
Surely you did something
when the seasons started failing?
as the mammals, reptiles and birds were all dying?
Did you fill the streets with protest
      when democracy was stolen?
               what did you do
               once you knew?


You once wrote "We need to make our voice heard, to fight for our world. We need to give hope to future generations. How will we answer our grandchildren when they ask, "What did you do once you knew?"  

Well John, there is no doubt that your great great grandchildren would feel very proud that you did everything you possibly could once you knew. 

Thank you for your passion and unswerving, dedicated contribution towards a sustainable future.
​

Beverley Lee

Safer Internet Day - February 8 2022

8/2/2022

 
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Safer Internet Day – ‘Play It Fair Online’, is a time to consider ‘best practice’ in internet safety in terms of our own online presence as well as protecting ourselves from online scares. The ‘Safety First’ online topic resources on Be Connected will continue to be drawn upon in 2022 and we will continue to regularly raise the issue of protection against scams—a topic at a Meet and Mingle presentation last year. ​

Protect against Scams

Be alert. If you get an email or phone call you suspect is not genuine:
  1. Verify –Check using contact details you get from a phone book or independent online search.
  2. Avoid clicking links – before clicking, hover your computer mouse over the URL (web link) and the ‘from’ email address:
    • If an email address doesn’t end with the company’s name and .com after the ‘@’ symbol, it’s likely to be a scam.
    • If a URL is different from the link description, it is probably a scam.
  3. Take your time – many scams will try to create a sense of urgency. Don’t be rushed into handing over your personal information.
  4. Consider your privacy – Only provide information such as Medicare numbers and credit card security codes to organisations you can trust. Requests for private data should ring alarm bells.
  5. Report – If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your financial institution immediately.

​For safety on Facebook, see: Getting started with Facebook – note the recommended privacy settings.

Vale - Kyohei Fujiie - 1953 - 2021

1/2/2022

 
Kyohei Fujiie joined Benalla U3A in January 2018, having lived some years in the district. He would say, "Just call me Fuji," and used that name on his U3A nametag.

He and Tomoko joined the U3A Recorder Group. They played various instruments, and were already involved with community performances, to which they invited the Recorder Players. Fuji had a good sense of rhythm and was very insistent on keeping time in the pieces played. He added to the U3A group's repertoire by adapting some musical pieces for the recorder.

Fuji and Tomoko joined the U3A Easy Walks bushwalking group, delighting in the outings and the beauty of the countryside. Fuji organised walks with very precise planning, measuring distances, drawing maps, and highlighting points of interest. He also shared with the group information and photos of walks he and Tomoko had done in State and National Parks. An enthusiastic and talented photographer, some of Fuji’s photos have featured on the U3A website.

As Margaret Walshe said, "Fuji, thank you for sharing your love of the Australian bush with fellow U3A walkers."
​
The U3A Easy Walks bushwalking group will schedule a repeat of the Mt Pilot walk Fuji had choreographed so well in April 2021.
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​Andrea Stevenson

​Age Friendly Benalla’s ‘Age Well in Benalla Info Hub’

1/2/2022

 
An Age Friendly community is one that is good for everyone.    By creating a community where older people can live safe, purposeful and healthy lives – in mind and body – we are creating a community where everyone, no matter their age, benefits.

Benalla Rural City, along with most places in the world, has an increasing proportion of its population over 55 years of age and living for much longer and can be supported to remain active, valued and as healthy as possible - in other words, to age well.

An Age Friendly Benalla will be a place where the community - including all its residents, its businesses, all levels of government and organisations mindfully work together to address the challenges and opportunities of ageing well in a rural setting. 
​One of the Committees of Age Friendly Benalla is the Age Well in Benalla Info Hub which is available in the Benalla Library every Thursday morning from 9.30am to 12.30pm.   It is a friendly referral service for older people to come for a chat if they have a concern about accessing information to make their lives easier.   The Hub looks at linking people to services and facilitating information.     It is a community volunteer group.

At the recent U3A enrolment day volunteers from this group set up a table in the Seniors room to promote this service to the Community.   It was a great opportunity to promote the info hub and provide guidance to older people in our community.    For example, the info hub was able to advise 15 people on the day about the $250 energy rebate that is currently available and assist with how they can apply for this.   The info hub also received a couple of enquiries regarding home assistance, held conversations regarding council exiting out of the Aged & Disability Services and also received interest from a member of the community wishing to join the Age Friendly Benalla Reference Group.
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Heather Wallace

'Winding down at Year's End'

1/2/2022

 
With lock down a thing (hopefully) of the past and restrictions on gatherings having eased somewhat, groups were able to meet more readily again in November/December.  A number celebrated year's end and the upcoming festive season, while the U3A Christmas Lunch in mid November was able to go ahead. Attracting 63 members, the luncheon at the acclaimed Chrismont Winery restaurant in the King Valley proved to be a joyous occasion! 

​Here are links to photos of some of these year end meetings and celebrations -
 
​Christmas at Chrismont Winery
​Singing for Fun at the Golf Club
Easy Walks at Mokoan Hub
​
Creative Writing at 'the Northo'
Investment - '& the winners are...!'
Lifeball Photo Shoot
Recorder Group 'new and old...'
Saturday Cards '500'
Music Appreciation 'Class of 21'

    February Newsletter

    News update

    This page is for 'general' news - some will be 'just in' news notices of changes to timetables or news of meetings; other items will be celebratory, some will be sad, there will be some longer news items on topics of interest.

    This page is complemented by our Facebook page .

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    Swanpool Community Development Association

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We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay our respects to their elders - past, present and emerging.
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Developed and maintained by members, this website showcases U3A Benalla & District. 
​Photographs - U3A members; Benalla Art Gallery website; ​Weebly 'Free' images;Travel Victoria and State Library of Victoria