Carole Marple, a member of U3A Benalla for 15 years, passed away on Friday, January 31 2025.  Carole had been living at Estia Health as an independent resident for several years, driving herself to U3A for her beloved classes in ‘Politics and Current Affairs’, the ‘History’ course of the day, and ‘Music Appreciation’, never missing a beat!  Carole is quite possibly still watching the ‘Politics and Current Affairs’ class from on high, suggesting points of clarification when considered appropriate. 

Carole co-convened the ‘Art Appreciation’ program at the Benalla Art Gallery with her husband Godfrey for several years.  Carole also worked with friend Joan Laing in piloting a new course ‘Hot Topics’, in Semester 2 2018. 

A founding class member of ‘Stock and Land’, Carole presented a memorable session reflecting on her role as Shadow Minister for Agriculture from 1993 - 1996.  

​Also a founding class member of ‘As Time Goes By’ (Memoir Writing), Carole’s Stories, written between 2015 and 2017, from stories about her childhood, including her father proclaiming ‘get back on’ when teaching her to ride, to her life as a unionist ‘I Was There – on the Picket Line’.  In ‘My Other Life’, Carole reflects on her role as a speechmaker, from speeches at school, to speeches as a politician, and later on to speeches to Benalla Council in the battle to get a new Library for Benalla.

A beautiful 'Vale for Carole Marple' written by Jaclyn Symes, State Member for Northern Victoria, appeared in the Ensign on Wednesday February 19.  Rest In Peace, Carole.

Work on the new Benalla Station precinct will commence in June 2025. U3A Benalla had a presentation by Inland Rail concerning this project on Tuesday 4th March 2025 in Room 1.

The information was presented by Adam Wiseman, Lead Engagement Advisor and Shannon Clark Stakeholder Engagement Advisor for Inland Rail. The Project Manager, Caitlyn Riley was also in attendance and answered some of the questions.

Two boards with options for the landscaping and the lift shaft decoration design were available for people who attended to choose which option they favoured.

A member of U3A Benalla pointed out to the presenters that the shadows were in the wrong direction on the majority of the slides, which was something that the presenters had not realised.

U3A Benalla thank Inland Rail for their presentation. They are certainly trying to inform the Benalla community of the alterations that will happen.

Margaret Jenkins

U3A Benalla are presenting to Councillors on Wednesday 2nd April 2025. Our aim is to get on the BRCC Council Plan 2025-2029 to increase our floorspace at Benalla Seniors Community Centre. We have been informed that our chances of getting on the Council Plan would be considerably strengthened if lots of members of U3A Benalla did the survey which is attached to the 2025-2029 Council Plan. 

For U3A members to participate in this survey go to Benalla Rural City Council at benalla.vic.gov.au then Have Your Say then Council Plan 2025-2029 and fill in the survey. Takes 5 to 10 minutes. (if you were able to put in a link that would be great)

Many thanks for your assistance. 


Margaret Jenkins
​President

​U3A Benalla and the Model Rules:  How it affects Elected Positions and the Committee at the AGM

Last AGM U3A Benalla changed from having a constitution to using Model Rules for an Incorporated Association as set out by Consumer Affairs Victoria using the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012.

There are 77 Regulations set out in these Model Rules.

In these Model Rules it says that the Composition of the Committee shall consist of a President and a Vice-President and a Secretary and a Treasurer and up to 8 ordinary members of the Committee elected by the Members. In the old Constitution there was a position reserved on the Committee for the immediate Past President. There is no such position on the Committee in the Model Rules.

There are certain members who have undertaken specific roles for the benefit of U3A Benalla, and it is beneficial for U3A Benalla for the people who are undertaking these specific roles to be on the Committee. Examples here are the Publicity Officer, the Membership Secretary, the Newsletter Editor and the Website Manager.

Which leaves us with four elected members on the U3A Benalla Committee. In past years we have seen Committee members who have stayed on the Committee for 5 years or more. But times are changing.  U3A Benalla last year had 420 members, and each of these members has the opportunity to nominate for either President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer or a committee position if they wish to do so.

If current members of the Committee wish to nominate for the position of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer or for the Committee, they have the right to do so. There are provisions if there are more nominations for President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer or for the Committee than there are positions available that elections can and will be held at the AGM. This is a healthy thing to happen for the benefit of U3A Benalla.

​If you wish to discuss any of the above, I can be contacted at 0424 454 313 or by email at [email protected].
 
Margaret Jenkins        

Members who selected Lifeball as a program for 2025 will be disappointed to hear that we are having to defer Lifeball until further notice due to the lack of a convenor. It will not commence on Monday 3rd March 2025.

We extend our apologies for the situation.  On Enrolment Day we were hopeful that a Convenor would be found.  However, no one has volunteered to be the Convenor of Lifeball, so unfortunately it cannot go ahead.
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U3A Program Committee.