"2022 has been a year of rebuilding for U3A Benalla after two difficult years of Covid restrictions. In the North East region of Victoria, there are 15 U3A groups stretching from Kilmore to Albury, with a combined membership of 1700. The Goulburn Valley, which includes Shepparton and Mooroopna had the largest number of members in April 2022 with 334. Benalla had 308 members and Albury 307. So, coming out of Covid we were doing very well.

The reason for U3A Benalla’s strength is the variety of groups we offer. In 2022 we offered 44 different programs, each co-ordinated by a Convenor who was passionate about their topic. My thanks goes to each of these Convenors for the time they spend organising and presenting their particular program. All the programs are valued.

We have outside programs such as Easy Walks, Bird Watching, Garden Appreciation, the Garden Team who donate their time and effort to helping with a particular member’s garden and Wine Appreciation. Then there are many programs held in our U3A room. These include Collectors, Coin Collectors, Politics and Current Affairs, Patchwork, Investment, Stock and Land, German, Play Reading, Tech Savvy Android phones, Tech Savvy Apple Pages, Family Research and others. There are also programs which use other venues such as Art Appreciation which meets in the Benalla Art Gallery, Singing for Fun and Community Singing which meet in the Hub at Cooinda, and Chat’n’Chew which meet at various restaurants.

At the March 2023 Committee meeting we learnt that we had 361 members, which is a record high membership for U3A Benalla. 62 of these members have joined U3A Benalla for the first time this year. We have several new programs this year which includes Ukes4Fun which meet every Monday in this Auditorium and strum their Ukuleles around the projector installed by Benalla Rural City Council last year. There is also the Photography course conducted by Rene Martens, Enjoying the Internet with Dawn Stephens, the Wise Guys book group with David Palmer, In the lap of the Gods with John Barry, the Jane Austen Book Club with Meg Dillon, and the Sky’s the Limit with Claire Rudolph. Each of these new courses in 2023 have started well with excellent enrolments.

Communication within U3A Benalla is very important. I would like to thank Heather Wallace, our Newsletter Editor and Bev Lee who runs our excellent website. In June 2022 U3A Network, the Victorian governing U3A organisation, ran a photo competition showing activities at various U3A’s throughout Victoria. Approximately half the photos came from our website. Well done, Bev. Your work is appreciated not only by members of U3A Benalla but also by the wider U3A community.

Next, I would like to thank the Committee of U3A Benalla. Every person on the Committee has done an excellent job during the last 12 months, and the Committee has been a great help to me in many ways. I would like to particularly thank Geraldine McCorkell our Secretary, Len Jeffers our Membership Secretary, and David Palmer of Publicity Officer. My thanks also to Deb Goodrich who is retiring from the Committee.

I would like to thank Terry Case for his outstanding contribution to U3A Benalla over many years. Terry was President from 2014 to 2017, past President from 2017 to 2021, Convenor of both Politics and Current Affairs and Australian History courses each for over 10 years, and a great supporter of U3A Benalla. For his outstanding contribution, the Committee have decided to award him Life Membership of U3A Benalla.

Looking to the future. Our numbers have increased by over 10% this year. The timetable for our U3A room took four Committee people four hours to organise. Our second room only holds 10 people, so there are only a small number of courses for which this second room can be used.

The U3A Committee think that the expansion of our footprint will become a necessity within the next two years. U3A Benalla’s preferred option would be another two rooms at the rear of the current building. We cater for retired or semi-retired people over 55 years of age. In the 2021 census, 46% of Benalla’s population were 55 years or older, compared to the Victorian average of 28%. So, the need for our organisation is here. Our current membership of 361 is a record high for U3A Benalla. The number of members in groups such as Garden Appreciation 77, Exercises for Fun 74, Wine Appreciation 66 is impressive. Groups using our U3A room such as Patchwork and Craft with 24 members are at capacity.

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Margaret Jenkins   

​Our Enrolment has continued to grow during February. We now have 345 members with 50 of these being members who have joined U3A Benalla for the first time. We have some quite large groups such as Garden Appreciation which has 77 members, Exercises for Fun which has 74 members enrolled and Wine Appreciation which has 66 on the books, including one person from Albury.

We have had good reports from the all the new groups which have started this year. There is a great photo on our website of the twenty members of the Ukes4Fun group sitting in a semi-circle around the overhead projector in the Auditorium learning their chords.

We are planning on having a Convenors afternoon on Monday 27th March at 2pm in the Auditorium of the Senior’s Centre. The Committee want to hear what is going well, if there are any problems and what assistance you need. We are hoping that all Convenors will be able to attend.

The next Meet and Mingle which will be held on Wednesday 15th March in the Auditorium will be our Annual General Meeting. We have invited Mr Tom Arnold, Community Co-ordinator of Benalla Rural City Council, to speak to us on the proposed development of the Fawckner Drive Precinct. Election of office bearers will also occur at the AGM.

We are pleased to announce that a few days ago our replacement photocopier was installed. The previous one had been in use for more than ten years and needed several costly drums to be replaced if we were going to continue to use it. Please speak with either Geraldine or myself for the new code if you wish to use the photocopier.
 
The Committee would like to thank the Benalla Rural City Council who replaced the Sound Bar, which is located near the television, over the Christmas holidays. The Council are also arranging for a shelf to be installed directly below the television for the soundbar to sit on.
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Margaret Jenkins 

U3A Benalla has had a great start to 2023! What a wonderful vibe there was at Enrolment Day in early January. A big thank you to all Convenors for spending time with the new members, explaining about your wonderful groups. Our organisation relies on the guidance of the Convenor for each group, and the Committee really appreciate the effort you put into Enrolment Day as well as the preparation you do for each meeting of your course.

My thanks also to the Committee for setting up the tables and chairs for Enrolment morning, and for helping in many and varied ways throughout the morning.

Our very efficient Membership Secretary, Len Jeffers, told me yesterday that we had 313 members enrolled on the 24th January. That is a fantastic number of members enrolled before the groups commence. A big welcome to the 41 new members who have joined U3A Benalla for the first time. We hope that all members enjoy the groups that you have put your names down for.

We are really pleased that there are 47 courses available this year. Outdoor courses such as bushwalking and bird watching are very popular, as are garden appreciation and wine appreciation. Indoor groups such as Exercises for fun also have had great enrolments. In the past two weeks I have heard lots of very positive comments about the courses available, many along the lines that “it is hard to choose what to do as they all seem so interesting”. Thank you for all those comments.

We encourage the wearing of name badges to all meetings. This allows new members to get to know members who have been there before. If for any reason you cannot attend a group for which you have put your name down for, it is courtesy to let your Convenor know by a phone call or a text that you cannot be there.

Our Newsletter this month has reports of those groups who met during December 2022. We hope to include reports from all groups in our next Newsletter. If the Convenor of a group does not wish to write a report each month, it is quite acceptable to delegate the job to another member of your group.

To all members of U3A Benalla, best wishes for an enjoyable 2023.
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Margaret Jenkins

What a fantastic morning we had at the November Meet and Mingle, with both the Recorder Group and the Singing for Fun Group participating in a concert for us. We also had the Patchwork Group showing a magnificent array of quilts and other articles they have expertly assembled during 2022.   Well done and thank you to all three U3A Groups.

A few days later we had our Christmas lunch at the King River Café in Oxley.   It was as though we had wound the clock back to 2019, with seventy-two members attending.   The food was delicious and everyone really enjoyed themselves.

Last month we told you about the new courses that are being offered in 2023.   These include “The Sky’s the Limit” with Claire Rudolph, “The Wise Guy’s Book Group” with David Palmer, “Ukes4Fun” with Heather Wallace, “The Jane Austen Book Club” with Meg Dillon, “Photography” with Rene Martens, and a Tech Savvy Help Group with Jenny Sawyer and Robyn Lukey.

This month we can confirm the offer of another two new groups for 2023. They are

“In the Lap of the Gods” with John Barry  This course in Graeco Roman Religion and Mythology will explain Graeco Roman mythology in the context of religion as a whole and differentiate it clearly from modern religions.  John is keen to “infuse those attending with the same sense of joy that I had when I read my first book on Graeco-Roman mythology at the age of ten.”
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“Enjoying the Internet” with Dawn Stephens   A course for members keen to venture beyond the basics to find out more about what the internet can offer!   Targeting PC and laptop users already comfortable with tasks such as online forms, emailing with attachments and managing files, there’s an enormous range of possible content to explore.   Members will be encouraged to contribute topics for the menu on offer and to practise the skills covered during the month.   While not a ‘hands on’ course, devices may be brought to class to refer to.

My thanks to the Program Committee consisting of Geraldine McCorkell, Len Jeffers, Bev Lee, Dorothy Webber and myself who have spent four sessions putting together the timetable for 2023.  We are really looking forward to all the new groups together with the continuing groups.  Without Classroom 2 at the Benalla Senior’s Centre, we would not have been able to fit all the activities into the timetable.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the Convenors of two groups which are not continuing in 2023. Carolyn Sims has been Convenor of Meditation since 2019, Brian Harker who has been Convenor of The News: Fact or Fiction since 2020.  I would also like to thank Heather Wallace, who initiated and has now handed over the reins of Cards ‘500’ to Doug Smith, and Glen Chessells, who has co-convened Easy Walks for the past two years.  Thank you also to members who stepped up during the year to co-convene groups, write newsletter reports, prepare presentations and take on other roles, including Lin Ryan, Joy Shirley, John Ellis, Janet Gourley, Jane Rushworth, Pat Treleaven, Shirley Swallow, Dorothy Webber, Heather Wallace, Bev Thornell and many others.  I would like to thank you all for the effort you have made with your groups.   

Margaret Jenkins

When reading the last Newsletter, I was struck by the huge variety of activities that our U3A Benalla groups provide. Congratulations and thank you to all our Convenors for all the thought and effort you put into arranging these activities and outings. The fact that our members enjoy these activities so much was further cemented when a member asked me what was happening over the Christmas break.

The Program Committee, consisting of Geraldine McCorkell, Bev Lee, Len Jeffers and myself met in late October and have endorsed a number of new programs for 2023. The first of these is “The Sky’s the Limit” which will be convened by Claire Rudolph who has a background as a glider pilot. Sessions will include guest speakers with a background in aviation and stories to tell.

Heather Wallace, who has a background in music, will convene “Ukes4Fun” in 2023. This weekly hour-long session will provide instruction on the ukulele including how to hold, tune and play simple chords. You will need a ukulele of reasonable quality, a music stand and a tuner. After basic instruction the group will go onto playing tunes and jamming sessions.

“The Wise Guys Book Group' is a Men’s book group which will be starting in 2023. The book titles will be drawn largely from non-fiction including Biography/Memoir, Exploration, Warfare, Spy craft, Mystery, Crime etc. David Palmer, who has run Stock and Land very successfully for a number of years, will be convening this Men’s Book Group.
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Another group which is set to start in 2023 is a Photography group. This monthly class is for instruction, hands on participation and social fun. Members will learn about better picture taking and editing techniques. They will have the opportunity to engage in friendly competition and have their pictures appraised by an experienced teacher. We are very pleased to announce that Rene Martens has agreed to convene the six sessions of this group in Semester 1.

Another new course for 2023 is ‘The Jane Austen Book Club’ which will be convened by Meg Dillon and held in our U3A room. Books will include “Sense and Sensibility”, “Pride and Prejudice”, “Mansfield Park”, “Emma”, “Northanger Abbey” and “Persuasion”.  

We are also pleased to announce a ‘Tech Savvy Help’ group for 2023. The course is meant for those participants with rusty skills who feel overwhelmed and would like access to someone to actively assist them through problem solving over a current hurdle. Jenny Sawyer and Robyn Lukey have agreed to guide participants through their particular problem.  

We also have an offer from Julie McNeill of a new course titled ‘Wildflowers and Fungi of North East Victoria”. Julie observed the need for this five-session course when she saw the keen interest of Easy Walk’s members in wildflowers. The course will include trips to the Reef Hills and Warbys as well as the occasional guest speaker and is planned for second semester. 

​Jane Rushworth will also be offering the five-session 'Demystifying Psychology' course in semester two.
 
What a line up for 2023 to go with our current varied courses.  

For the immediate future can I remind you of our special Meet and Mingle on Wednesday 16th November at 10am when there will be a concert by both the Recorder Group and the Singing for Fun group as well as a display by the Patchwork group, which is always worth seeing.  Please bring your family and friends for this fun filled morning.

Finally, a reminder about our Christmas lunch to be held at the King River Café on Wednesday 23 November. A bus will leave Benalla Bus Lines at 11am for those who wish to travel by bus. Forms, which were part of last month’s Newsletter, and money can be left at the RedB4 bookshop by 7th November 2022 - don't forget to put your name on the envelope.  
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​Hope to see you at the King River Cafe!

Margaret Jenkins   

In October we are looking forward to celebrating Get Online Week with a free lunch for U3A members and also for members of the older Benalla community on Wednesday 19 October at 11.45am. This lunch is being provided by a Grant from the Good Things Foundation who run the Be Connected program. The theme of the lunch is “Try One Thing” and we have invited Jenny Sawyer to explain about Buying Books Online after the lunch. Last year we had the lunch on tables outside the Benalla Senior’s Centre under the veranda, and it was a great setting. To assist with catering, could you please contact Geraldine McCorkell on 0408 522 662 if you would like to attend.

The October Meet and Mingle on Wednesday 19 October at 10am is going to feature Eric Nash, Director of the Benalla Art Gallery who will speak on forthcoming events at the Benalla Gallery over the summer period and into 2023. This is directly before the Get Online Week lunch.

On Wednesday 16th November Meet and Mingle will include a concert with both the Singing for Fun Group and also the Recorder Group showing their talents. The Patchwork Group are going to bring along some of their wonderful quilts and other items for display as well. Members are welcome to bring along family and friends as we would like them to enjoy the morning too.  

In this month's Newsletter there is also information concerning the U3A Benalla Christmas Party. This year it will be held at the King River Café on Wednesday 23rd November at 12 noon. There will be a bus leaving from Benalla Bus lines. Cost of the Lunch is $35, or $45 if going by bus. Forms and money can be left in an envelope at the Redb4 bookshop in Bridge Street Benalla.

We are happy to report that we have had several enquiries about U3A Benalla following the publication of the Benalla Rural City Community Directory 2022/23. We are at the Come and Try period of the year, and have encouraged the people who have contacted us to try at least one course between now and the end of 2022.

Information about new courses starting in 2023 will be included in next month’s Newsletter.

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Margaret Jenkins       

The Victorian U3A Network recently launched an online photography event ‘Show Us How You U3A’.  A few days before the closing date, Tracey Swadling from Network called, telling me what great photos we had on our U3A Benalla website and asking if they could use some of them.  Six large format images were among those chosen by Tracey, including three Easy Walks bushwalking photos, a great shot of the Garden Team, a Wine Appreciation photo and a photo of the Film as Literature group in the library.  These had been taken by Andi Stevenson, Bev Lee and Bev Thornell.   Congratulations to all three photographers.  We all know that it is contributions like these which make our Newsletter and Website so interesting.  It is wonderful that our photos are also noticed outside Benalla.  

Meetings between Benalla Rural City Council, U3A and the Senior Citizens are recommencing in late August. Relations with the Senior Citizens when Tom Pepper was President really improved, and we look forward to continuing this positive relationship with their newly elected President Val Burke.

In the last few days, we have been awarded a Get Online Grant from Be Connected for our ‘Try One Thing’ event on Wednesday 19 October 2022.  We are planning on having a light lunch at 11.45am which will immediately follow the October Meet and Mingle and be free to U3A members.   Jenny Sawyer will be the guest speaker at the lunch.  If the weather is good, we will hold it outside on the veranda like we did last year.  I am sure those who attended the lunch last year remember what a beautiful day it was, and what a great time we had.

Finally, I would like to thank all the Convenors for sending in their reports for the Newsletter by the 25th of each month. It makes it so much easier for Heather Wallace to compile the Newsletter and get it out by the end of the month.
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Margaret Jenkins, President

Throughout 2022 we have tried to have a variety of guest speakers at Meet and Mingle, whether they be informative, educational or fun. In July we welcomed James Harrison as our guest speaker. James provided us with a fun filled morning bringing not only his ukulele but also his banjo, mandolin, violin and harmonicas. From the comments that were made after the morning, everyone enjoyed his visit.

Our guest speaker for Meet and Mingle in August will be Lucy Mitchell-Long from Benalla Health. Lucy will speak on Health Literacy which is a subject we can all probably do with some help on.

U3A Benalla are hosting the North East Regional U3A meeting on 6 September 2022 by Zoom, which will alleviate the need for participants to travel long distances. Any positive ideas to come from this meeting will be relayed to members via the Newsletter and Website.

In the last month I have updated the COVID-19 plan for U3A Benalla which is available on the Website. Whilst the State Government has cut many mandates, we are still advocating the use of masks inside if that is what our members feel comfortable with, given the current large number of COVID-19 cases in Victoria.

Claire Rudolph has only had a small number of members interested in “The Sky’s the Limit” at the moment, so will delay starting that course until 2023.

Finally, U3A Benalla groups can continue into the second week of December if that is what the Convenor and group chooses to do. It is entirely up to the Convenor and group when they finish the year.

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Margaret Jenkins   

We are really pleased that the Benalla Rural City Council have installed the Projector in the main auditorium of the Benalla Senior’s Centre during the past month. U3A Benalla originally asked for a Community Grant for this piece of equipment in March 2021, and were delighted when the Council took responsibility for the full cost of the equipment due to the fact that everyone using the Benalla Seniors Centre could benefit from the projector.
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However, COVID shutdowns and lack of availability of equipment has meant that it has only been installed during the past month.

During June we had a visit from Martina Ryan from U3A Network Victoria. Martina was visiting several U3A’s in North East Victoria, and spent as hour with four members of our committee. Her message was that Network are there to support member U3A’s such as Benalla, and outlined a variety of aspects that Network could assist us with.

Armchair Traveller is going into recess as people haven’t been allowed to travel during the last two years of lockdowns. I would like to thank Ray O’Shannessy for his organisation of the group during the past six years since he took over from the late John Avery. The variety of places shown has been quite remarkable. 

Armchair History’s ‘Tudors’ theme is drawing to a close during Semester II, with a small group beginning to work on an Australian History course for next year. 

Meg Dillon’s semester length ‘Russian Literature’ course has ended– thank you so much, Meg, for designing and presenting another thought provoking, interesting course for U3A Benalla.
 
James Harrison, a Ukulele teacher, is our guest speaker at Meet and Mingle on Wednesday 20 July at 10am in our U3A room. James will outline his experiences as a ukulele teacher, and will play a few songs for us. He has even agreed to a little Community Singing if the audience would like that. So for a fun filled Wednesday morning, come along to Meet and Mingle on 20 July. Everyone is welcome.

Margaret Jenkins    

What a wonderful month we have had during May.  Not only have you had all your favourite programs, but we had two excellent special lectures from John Barry on Powers of Attorney and Making a Will. Plus, we had a very energetic and informative session by Tom Amery from Ambulance Victoria on the Use of the Defibrillator at the May Meet and Mingle.   Reports on John Barry’s lectures and Meet and Mingle are available in other parts of this Newsletter.

At the May U3A Benalla Committee meeting we considered an update from U3A Network re COVID. A request for unvaccinated people to rejoin our U3A has been rejected, following Network instructions.  We will continue to review our response to COVID drawing upon the advice of the U3A Network. 

After the May Meet and Mingle, I attended the President’s Day briefing conducted by Network using Zoom.  Network is investigating the future delivery of some classes as distance courses, with a small trial of these distance classes happening at the moment. U3A Benalla is not involved in the trial. 

There was also discussion about the use of hybrid courses which would use both face to face and Zoom within the one meeting in the future. The technical issues of hybrid courses are causing difficulties at present and it appears that it will be at least 12 months before hybrid classes could eventuate.

U3A Benalla have a vibrant selection of courses at the moment, so neither the distance delivery or hybrid classes may be suitable for our needs. However, it was very interesting to hear about them.
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Meantime we are hopeful that we have recruited a Ukulele instructor who has recently moved to the Benalla district.  It is anticipated that a ukulele group could start later in Semester 2 2022. 

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Margaret Jenkins
​President

Congratulations to the Benalla Rural City Council on the great job they have done with the resurfacing of Fawckner Drive outside the Benalla Senior’s Centre. It is a much smoother surface, and the extra car parks provided adjacent to the street are already being well utilised.

On 25th. April Geraldine and I attended the Benalla Anzac Day service, which was very well attended, and laid a wreath on behalf of U3A. After the service we spoke with several U3A members.

John Barry, a senior lawyer until his retirement, is giving two special lectures during May 2022. The first lecture on Friday 6th May at 2pm will be about Powers of Attorney (both Medical and Enduring) whilst the second lecture on Friday 20th May at 2pm will be about making a Will and Estate Planning. John is an excellent speaker and I encourage as many as possible to attend. 

A new program called “The Sky’s the Limit” is being investigated and it is hoped that it will commence in August or September 2022. It is for U3A members with an interest in gliding, flying and the history of aviation. The sessions will include guest speakers with backgrounds in aviation with stories to tell. Claire Rudolph has been involved in the initial planning.   If you are interested in such a course could you contact Claire on 0428 151 750 please so that we can get an idea of how much interest there is. For a venue this new group hopes to be able to utilize the gliding club as a meeting place so that they can use their IT equipment and also fly the gliding simulator.
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Margaret Jenkins

​My five years as President has seen in the first year the move from W4 to one room at the Seniors Community Building which has now become two rooms and an office. The continued growth of Benalla U3A is a testament to the members and the wonderful people who step forward and offer their expertise to run a Program, and the many convener‘s who have been leading classes for many years.
 
Benalla’s close contact with the U3A Network has seen us run many regional meetings over the past five years. We have been complimented on our ability to run successful and professional Regional meetings. These get-togethers help all U3A’s in sharing ideas particularly types of activities on offer. We at Benalla are envied for our membership numbers and are often asked how we advertise for members.
 
The main source of our new members is our wonderful website. My thanks go to Bev Lee who has developed and run this informative website for the past eight years. Bev spends many hours on this and other U3A Benalla activities and she has done a wonderful job.
 
Currently our membership stands at 306 members. This includes 34 people have joined U3A Benalla for the first time this year. We also have 4 Life Memberships.
 
I would like to sincerely thank our wonderful Convenors who run U3A Benalla’s 44 programs. The variety of programs we offer is incredible. From outdoor activities such as Bird watching, Garden Appreciation and Easy Walks, so social activities such as Meet and Mingle and Chat’n’chew, to programs such as Politics, Tech Savvy Programs for both Apple iPads and Android Tablets, Music Appreciation, Art Appreciation Recorder, Patchwork and Singing Groups. There are many more programs which I haven’t mentioned, but all are valued and appreciated. Without our Convenors there would be no programs, so thank you to all Convenors for the time and effort they spend organising, helping and running each and every group.
 
At this point I would like to acknowledge the marvellous work by the Convenors of two Groups who retired at the end of 2021. Firstly to John Lloyd who started and ran the Sustainability Group for 13 years. 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'.  John has retired because he and Freida are in the process of selling their home at Chesney Vale and moving to the Castlemaine/Bendigo district.
 
The second Group to have a retiring Convenor is the very popular Wine Appreciation Group. Keith and Heather Rogers together with the late Noel Meagher ran this group together since 2013. For the last three years Keith and Heather have run the Wine Appreciation Group by themselves. Their interest in the topic has seen them regularly doing a “pre Wine Appreciation” tour to include not only the Winery that was about to be visited, but also the establishment chosen for the lunch to follow. Thank you for your enthusiasm and for all those memorable Wineries and lunch venues the Group has visited.  
 
In this past year we are grateful to the Benalla Rural City Council for allocating us a second room. Our timetable is full for our first U3A room, and this second room is allowing smaller groups such as Family Research--Beginners and Russian Literature to have a slot on the timetable. All of the technology we have installed in this second room has been paid for by Grants we have accessed from Be Connected or the Good Things Foundation, which is supported by the Federal Government.
 
In 2021 we applied for a Benalla Rural City Grant for a projector to be installed in this main Auditorium. In our application we told the Council that it could also benefit the Senior Citizens who share this building with us. We received the Grant. Then Council officers found more money, and said the BRCC would undertake the installation of the Projector project and be totally responsible for maintenance of the equipment. This happened six months ago, and due to COVID we are still waiting for the projector to be installed in this Auditorium.
 
In October 2021 we celebrated Get on Line Week with a COVID safe lunch on the veranda outside this Auditorium. It was a delightful sunny day, and we discovered this new area of this building which is extremely suitable for gatherings of about 30 people.
 
In late February 2022 we held a Convenors afternoon which was well attended. The purpose of this meeting was to hear how Convenors were starting in 2022, and to share with Convenors our use of Drop Box for accessing Class lists and Email addresses of Course participants. This two way conversation proved beneficial to both Convenors the Committee. 
 
Finally, I would like to thank the U3A Benalla Committee which has supported me throughout my five years as President, especially in the last six months. Thank you to Wende Sturgess who is retiring from the Committee due to the fact that she intends to travel more in Australia. Thank you, everyone. 

 
Dorothy Webber, U3A Benalla President 
as presented by Margaret Jenkins, Vice President
​U3A Benalla Annual General Meeting, March 16, 2022

Thank you to all the Convenors who came to our Convenor’s afternoon on Friday 25th February.  We had an excellent attendance, and shared a lot of information during the afternoon.  Our Convenors are very important to U3A Benalla, and this was one way of finding out if there were any problems.  

 In 2022 Len Jeffers has provided us with a new system of storing lists and Emails for each group in Drop Box. Whilst Drop Box has been previously used by other organisations, it is the first time U3A Benalla has adopted the system.  It is hoped that it will provide constantly up to date rolls which can be accessed directly by our Convenors without involving Len.

Our membership has been constantly growing throughout February. We now have 286 members which includes 25 new members. I would encourage you all to wear your badge at each group you attend so the new members can get to know everyone quickly.

A nomination form for U3A Benalla Committee members and other positions for 2022-2023 is included at the back of this Newsletter. Nominations need to be filled out, signed and forwarded to our Secretary, Geraldine McCorkell at gmccorkell@activ8.net.au by Wednesday 9th March 2022. Nominations can also be left at the Redb4 Book Shop in Bridge Street, Benalla.

Our U3A Benalla annual general meeting will be held on Wednesday 16th March 2022 at 10am in our U3A room. The guest speaker at the AGM will be Ms Rosie Koop, Executive Officer of the Benalla Tomorrow Today Foundation, who will also conduct the election of office bearers.

U3A members will have no doubt noticed that Benalla Rural City Council is carrying out road works in Fawckner Drive, outside the Benalla Senior’s Centre. These works are happening during March and April 2022, and during this period the Fawckner Street car park is only accessible from Carrier Street South.

Some advance news. We are pleased to announce that John Barry will give U3A Benalla members two special lectures on Friday 6th May and Friday 13th May at 2pm in our U3A room. The topic of the first lecture will be Powers of Attorney (Enduring and Medical) whilst the topic of the second lecture will be about making a Will, Estate planning with a small section on End of Life Directives. John was a senior lawyer until his retirement and with such a background will provide excellent information in these two talks.

Margaret Jenkins
Vice President

What a great time we had at Enrolment Day! Lots of members came to enrol for 2022, as well as several new people enquiring about our various courses. 

Thank you to all our Convenors for giving up their time and answering questions. It was pleasing to see so many of our members trying new subjects this year.

In 2022 we are offering 44 courses including a new course in Russian Literature as well as the return of Brain Games.

It was also interesting to see the interest in the Info Hub which was staffed by members of Age Friendly Benalla. The Info Hub normally runs each Thursday morning at the Benalla Library, and tried a special day at our Enrolment. Judging by the number of people who asked questions, they were very happy to be part of Enrolment Day.

I would like to thank Len Jeffers for all his work as Membership Secretary. Len’s latest figures show that we currently have 248 members of U3A Benalla including 23 new members and 4 life members.

Our Benalla Citizen of the Year nomination Geraldine McCorkell was one of 14 nominations. The ceremony was different this year, in that only participants and their guests were allowed to attend the ceremony at BPACC, and the event was live streamed for the general community.

The winner of the Benalla Citizen of the Year was Dr Lee Manning.  Whilst Geraldine did not win the honour, her nomination gave U3A Benalla as well as Friends of the Library the opportunity to showcase the marvellous work Geraldine has done for both organisations for over a decade. U3A Benalla are certainly grateful for Geraldine’s roles as President from 2011-2013, Network Representative in 2016 and Secretary from 2016 to the present. Well done, Geraldine.

U3A Benalla and District’s Annual General Meeting will be held prior to Meet and Mingle on Wednesday 16th March. There will be more information in the next newsletter.

Whilst a few of our courses started in January, most are beginning in February 2022. Thank you everyone for accepting the requirement for double vaccination to attend our courses.

We look forward to a more continuous year in 2022.
​
Margaret Jenkins
Vice President

Nomination of Geraldine McCorkell for Benalla Citizen of the Year

U3A Benalla has nominated Geraldine McCorkell for Benalla Citizen of the Year in 2022. The nomination was co-ordinated by Wendy Sturgess, our Publicity Officer, with the assistance of other organisations and members of U3A.

We have received notification from Benalla Rural City Council that the presentation of Australia Day awards will take place on Wednesday 26 January 2022 Benalla from 10 am.  Winners of the awards will not be announced until the day.

Benalla Rural City Council has announced that the planned event has been scaled back and will now be live streamed to the community.  

Benalla Rural City’s Australia Day Award presentations can be watched online from 10am on Wednesday, January 26, at benalla.vic.gov.au. 

​Further information can be obtained by contacting the Council’s Event Coordinator, Sharon Geer on 0498 204 648 or sharon.geer@benalla.vic.gov.au     Good luck Geraldine!

U3A Benalla – On Target for Better Digital Skills
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Earlier this year U3A Benalla participated in the Building Digital Skills in Regional Areas Pilot, a joint initiative run by Good Things Foundation Australia and Wesfarmers, with our ‘On Target’ digital skills program.  Through the ‘On Target – Learning to Shop Online’ program, we supported a small group of interested Benalla residents to learn how to use technology for everyday tasks, like shopping online and scanning QR codes. The program made a difference to those who participated, increasing motivation and enjoyment at being able to use their new skills at home.  

Read more about how On Target has helped our community on the Good Things Foundation Australia website:   https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org.au/news/on-target-for-better-digital-skills/

2022 Enrolment Day - Wednesday 12 January 9.30 pm to Midday Seniors Centre Auditorium

The Program Guide and Timetables for 2022 are now available.   Demystifying Psychology is taking a break in 2022 while Bushwalking 'Midweek Walks' is reverting back to its Benalla Bushwalking Club program origins. New courses include  Russian Literature and Family Research - Beginners.  Brain Games is resuming There are time slot changes for Armchair History and Meditation, while the German courses–Advanced and Beginners – are being offered weekly in new time slots. 

An individualised Membership Renewal Form has been emailed or posted to members enrolled in 2021.  Please print your form, make any corrections to your details, then add your program selections to bring on enrolment day.  A Membership Application form for new members will be available on enrolment day.  It can also be downloaded from the website or collected with program documents from the RedB4 Bookshop in Bridge Street (next to Hide's Bakery).  Proof of double vaccination of COVID 19 is to be provided upon enrolment or at attendance at chosen classes if not already recorded. 

Looking forward to seeing you all in 2022,

​
Margaret Jenkins, Vice-President

​What a big month November has been.  Various groups have held `Christmas’ lunches, including a very well organised U3A Wine Appreciation lunch for all U3A members at Chrismont Winery on the 23rd of November with 63 participants.   We missed the company of Heather and Keith Rogers who were unable to attend.  Keith and Heather are retiring as convenors of the Wine Appreciation group after 10 years duty.   John Lloyd, convenor of the Sustainability group, is also retiring after thirteen years as a convenor.  We will acknowledge their participation as convenors at our Annual General Meeting in 2022. 

Another big day out was held by the Garden Appreciation Group.  33 members of this happy group visited Corrie Witlox’s garden for morning tea and a catered lunch was then provided at the McCorkell garden.  We escaped the rain by minutes, both these activities showing us the necessity of looking after our social wellbeing.

The Program for 2022 is taking shape, with a reminder to our members to have your vaccination recorded with your group. The Committee will be looking for some new nominations at the AGM in March 2022, particularly a Publicity Officer.  Don’t be afraid to put your hand up for the Committee, we are a very approachable group. 

Enrolment Day will be on Wednesday 12th January at the Seniors rooms from 9.30 until 12.00.  Enrolment forms can be submitted at Enrolment Day, by post or at the Redb4 bookshop.   There will be a newsletter in January containing all course information that you may need, so keep an eye out for that.   

We thank all our convenors and members for your support and patience during a very difficult period.

Wishing all our members a healthy and safe Christmas and we look forward to a much better 2022.
​
Geraldine McCorkell on behalf of President Dorothy Webber

​How lovely it was after Meet and Mingle to see so many happy faces at our Get Online Week celebration on the verandah behind our room enjoying a delicious lunch prepared by Hides Bakery.   A couple of new faces and members enjoying a social occasion, we all agreed this must happen again. Well done, Margaret and her team, for organising and relaying information to the group.
 
At Meet and Mingle we also enjoyed a talk by Moussa Taouk who makes Goat Cheese at Winton - his café is now open for Coffee and Crepes on Friday and Saturday. 

On more serious matters I hope all our members received the `Information Page’ on how we are dealing with our obligations in regard to vaccinations and attendance at classes.  A copy is included here.  If anyone is concerned, please don’t hesitate to ring Geraldine 0408522662 and I will try to answer your query.  The Seniors are following the same guidelines as U3A.  As we slowly open up again,  enjoying the activities we have on offer, there are still some members who are very nervous about coming out into the world again.

Don’t forget to register for our bus trip to Chrismont Winery for our Christmas breakup.  This will be on Tuesday 23rd November.  $50 for a 2-course meal and $10 for the bus, and you will need to have proof of vaccination.  A booking form with further details can be found at the end of this newsletter – the contact person is Corrie Witlox 57 62 8225.

Our last Meet and Mingle on Wednesday 17th November usually features a performance by our Singing and Recorder groups.  Both groups have been unable to meet to practise and rehearse during lockdown, so there will be no singing concert or recorder recital this year.  There will, however, be a Display of Patchwork and Quilts from the Patchwork group and morning tea, so keep the day in mind. 
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Hopefully 2022 will be considerably better than this year.  Stay well and smiling and remember to keep in touch with people who may still be feeling isolated.
​
Geraldine McCorkell  (for Dorothy)

I am writing this report for Dorothy, who is taken up with family matters.  Today, as I write, the weather has rained, hailed, the sun has come out and disappeared.  It doesn’t seem to be able to make up its mind what it wants to do, a bit like our life at the moment.  Once again, we are up and down and unsure whether we are in or out. 
 
The Seniors building is available again for up to 20 people in the whole building at any one time, so some classes can be held.  A general email is often sent out by Len, at the request of convenors, to let members know if classes or groups are meeting.  We are also making a valiant effort to keep the calendar on the website up to date.  If members are unsure, please ring the convenor to check what is happening.   Some members are deciding not to go to their group until the news on COVID improves.  It would be great if members could ring or contact the convenor to let them know they are not coming.

A small group enjoyed Chat ‘n Chew in September.  Those who attended had a very nice lunch - it was lovely to see people socially, even if only briefly. 

Committee members are still hopeful that we will be able to hold our Pizza lunch on Wednesday 20th October to celebrate `Get Online Week’.   Check your emails and the website for updates closer to the day.

Chrismont Winery has been booked for the U3A end of year celebration on Tuesday 23 November.  The cost of the 2-course meal will be $50 and the bus fare $10.  The bus will leave the Benalla Bus Lines depot at 11.00am. There will be an application form and more details in the November newsletter.  Fingers crossed that we will be able gather for our annual luncheon once again.

In conversation with Shepparton U3A it was revealed they have a ukulele group who would like to combine with our Recorder group to entertain us at our final Meet and Mingle for 2021.  What a toe tapper that would be, however with Singing for Fun and Recorder groups unable to meet, we may have to wait another year

In the meantime, keep smiling and coming to U3A when we can, our social interaction is a very necessary part of life in retirement.
​
Geraldine McCorkell. Secretary

About all we can do is be thankful for our beautiful sunny days and enjoy the warmth of the coming Spring. There isn’t much else to be joyful about - not being able to see family and friends is extremely sad.

In ‘Program News’, Monday Games has been discontinued, while The News Fact or Fiction will no longer be at the Cooinda Hub.  It will resume in the U3A meeting room at the Seniors Community Centre on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. At this stage, all other courses and activities will stay the same when we open again.

If you have any ideas for new courses or activities, please get in touch with any of the Committee.

The Committee is setting up the ability for you to be able to pay your Membership for 2022 online.  Direct payment on Registration Day will still be available.

In ‘Building News’, we recently had a clean-up, sharing the cost of the skip with the Seniors. A job well done.  The small meeting room (we are calling room 2) is now equipped with Computer and wall mounted Smart TV.  It has been used for drop-in training on Thursday mornings and will continue to be a wonderful extra space for the future.  Next year’s Program information will state Room 1 or Room 2.

It will soon be October, traditionally a time when we invite friends interested in joining U3A to ‘taste’ our courses and activities.  This offer is open again this year, with pandemic work arounds where necessary. 

​November is also just around the corner!  Chrismont Winery has been booked on Tuesday 23 November for the U3A Benalla end of year celebration - details will be confirmed in upcoming newsletters. 

Dorothy Webber, President

We are closed, then open, then closed again... then open, again!  ​

With the relaxation of restrictions in regional areas on Monday 9 August from 11.59pm, classes in the U3A Meeting Room will resume at 2pm on Tuesday 10 August with Tech Talks, while classes at the Hub will recommence with the Harmony Group on Thursday 12 August at 10am.  All relevant guidelines are to be followed.  Outdoor activities which can be run in separated groups each of 10 people (including convenor) can recommence from Wednesday 11 August.  Facemasks are mandatory indoors and outdoors.

Our Covid Plan is continuously being revised - click here to read Version 4. Remember, it is most important to sign in to all venues with the QR Code using the Services Victoria App.  A Sign in sheet is also available.  

Dorothy

We are closed, then open, then closed again!  This has become our normal, and I so hope that the next opening will last.  

Now that we are open again, as I read the rules, small classes of 10 or less can start again.  Hopefully next week we can have all our classes running

Our Covid Safe Plan is continually being revised—Version 4 can be found here.   It is most important to sign in with the QR Code using the Services Victoria App.  If you are unable to do this, a Sign In sheet is available.

My thanks go again to our fantastic Convenors.  With every new start up, they are up and running, welcoming our members back with well organised classes and big smiles.   Numbers attending classes are down on previous years--this is happening across most U3A’s.   There are many reasons for this, as we know.   Benalla will continue to offer our number of courses and hope to add more next year.  

The room opposite the U3A Classroom in the Seniors Building is now available for small classes, meetings and ‘lab’ style computer/other sessions.  A PC with speakers has been installed, with a connected wall mounted television and white board to come.  We are working on a system for room bookings for this room – more news in the next newsletter. 

We are having a very wet and cold winter. Stay warm and healthy and I’ll see you out and about at U3A.
​
Dorothy Webber
President

Another lockdown, now for another start up!

All classes resumed on Monday 21st June.  Hopefully, we can all continue and enjoy our classes together for the rest of the year.  Thank you to all our Convenors for coping with the stop start.  I know some of you continued to offer your classes in other ways.

Our Covid Safe Plan is the same as before--sign in with the QR Code using the Services Victoria App.  If you are unable to do this, a Sign In sheet is available.  We have been working with members keen to learn to use the QR Code as part of the On Target program.  If you need help, On Target Drop-In sessions will run on Thursday mornings from 10-12 on the 8th 15th 22nd & 29th July.

A reminder to members of groups who ride-share that the rate for ride-sharing set by the Committee is $5, to be given to the driver by each passenger, with payment adjusted by agreement for short or longer trips. 
 
We have been successful with a Grant Application to assist with the running costs of our Play Reading Group.  U3A Benalla appreciate the support of the Benalla Rural City Council. The financial support from the Council enables us to keep our Annual Registration Fee at one of the lowest in Victoria.

Dorothy Webber
President

Thanks to Benalla Rural City we have been successful with our recent Community Grant Application.  We have received $2,500 to provide visual equipment in the Senior’s Auditorium for use by U3A Benalla and the Senior Citizens.

Some of the classes have had a drop in numbers, which is not unusual for this time of the year.  Convenors, don’t be disheartened, it’s just the way things go.

The small meeting room is now available for use, though no technology has been installed yet. The rubbish bins now have Padlocks put on them to stop the public using them.    The keys are on the wall inside the kitchen door.  In other news,  the hot water is now up and running!

We are still confirming details of regional restrictions following the initial lockdown and working to clarify whether U3A classes or groups can meet.  If necessary we will draw upon previous strategies developed to offer alternatives.  We will keep you updated when we have further information. ­­

Keep safe everyone.

Dorothy Webber, President

April marked the commencement of the U3A Benalla’s involvement in Wesfarmers Digital Inclusion Partnership Program, a response to the closure of the Target Store in Benalla on Saturday April 10.  The program we are offering ‘On Target--Learning to Shop Online’, commenced with an orientation session in late April for members of the Benalla community keen to undertake the transition to online shopping.  Participants will also be encouraged to learn other vital digital skills required by the modern world, including online Government services, online banking, paying bills online and safe internet usage.  For members of the community who do not have a smart phone which will support online shopping, the pilot program will provide participants with one.  Although the program has commenced any member of the Benalla community who would like to participate can ring me on 0412 263 071 to enrol.

Thank you to the Convenors who attended the Convenors meeting on Wednesday 21 April after Meet and Mingle.  Items raised during the meeting included changes which have been happening in the building and the availability of training and support for convenors in using equipment.

The small meeting room is now empty.  The carpet will be cleaned, new locks and furniture installed, then it will be available for use. 
 
Training and support for convenors in the use of the Photocopier is provided by Geraldine on 0408 522 662 and the use of the Overhead Projector by Margaret on 0424454313.  If you would like to learn how to operate the new Dishwasher in the kitchen, please ring me on 0412 263 071.

A message to members – please remember to sign in to the Seniors Building using the QR code or sign in sheet as you enter the building; to sign the U3A record sessions attended at any venue; to bring your own cup; and, if you are feeling unwell, not to attend classes or activities but to get tested for COVID 19. 

I have become aware that some people don’t know about the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme. This enables you to claim for travel and accommodation expenses when you have a medical appointment more than 100 Km from home.  Forms are available wherever you have your appointment. The form must be signed by the Medical Practitioner.
​
Dorothy Webber