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

The Mackeys’ Lookout walk in December was the final U3A ‘Bushwalking - Mid-Week Walk’.  U3A’s partnership with the Benalla Bushwalking Club (BBC) commenced following a forum Margaret Walshe helped organise in 2002 which identified three layers of exercise and the need to be able to ‘upshift’ and ‘downshift’.  Margaret, a member of both U3A and the BBC, liaised with the BBC President at the time, Terry Sydes, who supported this principle.  Terry became the first convenor of Mid-Week Walks, with BBC organised Mid-Week Walks for adventurous bushwalkers offered to U3A members alongside Easy Walks.  Margaret played an important role in promoting the program and later became convenor.  Avid U3A bushwalker Vaughan Cowan then convened Mid-Week Walks for many years, with John Boehm taking over the role in 2019.

With fewer U3A members participating, the BBC committee recently decided to revert Mid-Week Walks back to its Benalla Bushwalking Club program origins.  U3A Benalla would like to thank the BBC for operating in tandem with the U3A Bushwalking program for almost two decades.  Thank you, John Boehm, for convening the group for the past three years, thanks also to Bev Thornell for the wonderful reports and photographs in the newsletter, Facebook and Mid-Week Walks  web page.    

​U3A members are welcome to become members of the Benalla Bushwalking Club and participate in their activities.   

​Source:  News Update, U3A Newsletter, January 2022

​Alex, 

Thank you so much for inspiring and establishing the Coin Collectors group at U3A Benalla.  Your understanding of coin collections and collectors and the way in which you have engaged and followed through with group members, have resulted in an ongoing group of keen coin collectors.  Your personal coin collection and passion for coin collecting proved inspirational!  We wish you and Annette well in your return to Echuca, where you both grew up,  Perhaps you might set up a Coin Collectors group there.  You will be missed.   

Bev Lee, Programs Committee