​Benalla U3A’s Summer School Program is now in its third year!  In December 2017, Dorothy Webber piloted a summer program with a session dedicated to Trivial Pursuit, and a second session ‘Morning Memories’ where stories and photographs were shared. In January 2019 by the first ‘Tech Savvy Be Connected’ summer school program was offered by Jenny Sawyer and Margaret Jenkins.  In 2020, three summer school activities are being held in the U3A meeting room over the January break: 
 
Community Singing                        Friday 10th, 17th and 24th January - 10.30am - 11.45am
Due to a kind offer by Brian Greed, Singing for Fun are running three Community Singing mornings in January.   Singing for Fun members and other members of U3A are invited to attend.  Each session will have a break for morning tea and is expected to finish about 11.45 am.   Contact: Margaret Jenkins 5762 6944
 
Patchwork                                                          Thursday 9th and 23rd January - 10am-4pm
The Patchwork Group is continuing its tradition of holding day long sessions in January, increasing the number this year from one to two.    Contact:  Dorothy Webber 5762 2116 or 0412 263 071
 
Tech Savvy Be Connected                       Tuesday 7th, 14th and 21st January – 10am-11am 
Whether or not you attended previous sessions last semester, you are welcome to bring your portable devices to our summer school to extend your computing knowledge and skills.
Contact:   Margaret Jenkins 5762 6944 Jenny Sawyer 0409 545 182
 
Life Ball                                              Recommences Monday 13th January  9.45 to 11.30am
Life Ball is also returning in mid-January at the Benalla Indoor Recreation Centre in Ackerly Avenue.  Weekly sessions recommence from Monday 13th January.   Contact:  Max Powell 0423 525 565

Congratulations to U3A member Pat Treleaven on winning the Open Section of Benalla Festival’s Writing Festival Competition for the second time.  Pat’s writing skills are evident in the delightful newsletter reports she writes for the Recorder Group each month.  

Pat is pictured here reading her 'Fiesta of Festivities' winning entry to a large audience at the Benalla Library during the Benalla Festival.

Congratulations, Pat.

2019 has been a successful year for U3A Benalla, and, we hope, a good year for you.  This year, 2020, we are introducing a number of new programs such as,

• A Taste of Art with Carol Perry
• Coin Collectors with Alex Adkins
• Demystifying Psychology with Jane Rushworth
• The News - Fact or Fiction? with Brian Harker
• A Different History of Germany with Neville Gibb
• German Conversation with Janet Martens and Pauline Bailey
• ​Tech Savvy Apple Devices - Intermediate with Jenny Sawyer

as well as most of our programs from 2019.  We hope we will see you at our programs in 2020.

You will be pleased to know that our Membership Fees will remain $30 per person, which includes our monthly newsletter emailed to you, with an additional annual fee of $10 for posted newsletters.  Your current membership expired at the end of 2019 and your membership will need to be renewed.  To assist you a Renewal Form is attached.

Memberships can be renewed by,

• printing your personalised Membership Renewal form,
• making any corrections then adding your program selections,
• returning the signed form with payment to one of the following:
  • U3A Benalla Enrolment Day on Monday January 13 at the Seniors Complex between 9.30 am and 11.30 am  (cheque or cash OK) 
  • U3A Benalla Enrolment Day on Wednesday January 15 at the Seniors Complex between 9.30 am and 11.30 am  (cheque or cash OK)​
  • RedB4 Bookshop - next door to Hides Bakery (cheque only)
  • U3A Benalla, PO Box 674, Benalla 3671 (cheque only)  

If you are unable to print your membership renewal form a copy will be available on enrolment days, at RedB4 Bookshop or on the website.

Thank you for your membership in 2019.  We look forward to seeing you again in 2020.

Hope you had a very happy Christmas.
 
Geraldine McCorkell
Secretary U3A Benalla

There are summer school units, course tweaks, a name change, some developments of related courses and more in the new timetable - and of course, some new courses for your consideration!  For example...

A Different History of Germany
Neville Gibb
‘A Different History of Germany’, will range from the Hanoverian Monarchy to the present day.  We will have all kinds of diversions and will jump from century to century when required.  People should be prepared for lots of discussions.  Much new information is available on past events.
Later in the course we will concentrate on the German Democratic Republic.

'A Taste of Art'
Broken River Painters - course convenor Carole Perry
​Broken River Painters are offering this course to U3A members interested in taking up or renewing their interest in drawing and painting.  The course will operate as an art workshop in a relaxed atmosphere with mentoring and support from artists of the Broken River Painters.  No experience is necessary, however more experienced artists are welcome to enrol.  No materials or equipment are required, but feel free to bring along pencils, charcoal, paints and brushes for watercolour, oils and acrylics and pastels.  As Broken River Painters participate in many art shows and markets in the north-east, as well as exhibiting paintings in the Benalla Hospital, there is an opportunity to eventually exhibit work.

Coin Collectors
Alex Adkins
​People over the years have bags, boxes or tins of old coins of pre-decimal and decimal currency.  If this is an interest or hobby of yours and you would like to discuss the significance of coins and notes with different designs that commemorate the events and people that create a history of Australia, consider joining our new Coil Collectors group.  Meet others who have been putting coins aside and have not yet sorted or catalogued their collection.  Discuss, view, swap and/or buy coins to complete various sets.  We aim to get more enjoyment from our collections and look forward to seeing your coins and sharing stories.  As this is a lunchtime meeting, bring some nourishment along - tea and coffee will be available.

Demystifying Psychology
Jane Rushworth
​A five-session light-hearted course introducing psychology in everyday life and some of the theories that attempt to explain how and why we do things.  The course will include personality types and preferred coping styles; theories and practices applied to drug treatment, raising children, family violence, and other topics as suggested by participants.  The course will also include social psychology, the concepts of obedience, power, group dynamics and states of mind.  We'll then discuss how we experience the various theories as they play out in daily life.

German - Conversation
Janet Martens and Pauline Bailey
This informal group is suitable for those who attended German in 2019 and for those who already have an understanding of the language.  Fluent speakers are encouraged to join.

Tech Savvy Apple Devices - Intermediate
Jenny Sawyer
Tech Savvy Apple (Intermediate) is for people who have completed the Tech Savvy Beginners Course and wish to further their understanding and skills on their iPads.  The course content will in the main be driven by the participants; whereby they can suggest explorations of different functions they wish to learn about and master.

The News - Fact or Fiction?
​Brian Harker 
An adjunct to the Politics and Current Affairs course, ‘The News - Fact or Fiction’ provides a structured round table forum for selected stories and issues which are hitting the headlines which affect our lives and the society in which we live.  Sessions will include an analysis of the contents and letters pages of different media outlets to see how various issues have been reported by different organisations; discussion of one of these topics in more detail; and a pre-alerted topic to be explored.
​

Attention to all members with portable computing devices

• smart phones
• tablets
• iPads
• laptops

​During the summer break, there will be continuing Tech Savvy Be Connected sessions.

Whether or not you attended previous sessions last semester, you are welcome to bring
your portable devices to extend your computing knowledge and skills.

We are running three sessions in January on Tuesday mornings at the U3A room.
​
Dates - JANUARY Tuesday 7th, 14th, 21st Time - 10:00am - 11:00am

Margaret Jenkins Phone 5762 6944
Jenny Sawyer Phone 0409 545 182

This year's U3A Christmas breakup, held at the renovated Goorambat Hotel on Wenesday 27 November, was an enjoyable catchup for all of us. The loud buzz of conversation lulled for the duration of the meal: lamb roast and cheesecake, washed down with wine or beer.  

Benalla Bus Lines transported the group there and back, our obliging driver giving those who hadn't yet seen the local Church Mural and Silo Art a chance to enjoy them.  Paul, treasurer of the local Community Group, outlined the history of the successful planning and fundraising for the Silo Art and Church Mural.

Thanks Heather and Keith Rogers for arranging this event (and sorting out the wee hitches!), and to Dorothy Webber, our President, for another successful year, with 60 new U3A members joining.

Bev Thornell