Events
March 2011
Information and events the Ambassador for Ageing attended in March, 2011.
ECHO Neighbourhood Centre and Waverley Council - Share, Translate and Celebrate Event - 24 March 2011
As part of Seniors Week celebrations in Sydney, Noeline was invited to launch the Share, Translate and Celebrate function at the ECHO Neighbourhood Centre on 24 March.This great Community Centre has been a part of life at Bondi Junction since the early 1970s, and it receives funding from Local, State and Federal Governments to provide social support to older Australians, people with disabilities, and their carers.
As part of the proceedings, the Strengths of Older People Living Alone booklet was launched by a representative from St Vincent's Community Health. This booklet is intended to assist older people who may face a variety of obstacles in remaining independent in their own home.
Attending the event were many Russian migrants who are not Australian residents. During Noeline's speech she acknowledged the contribution people from other cultures and countries have made to our nation. "The Australian culture has certainly benefited from the diverse range of migrants who now call Australia home," she said.
After the official ceremony guests were entertained by a trio of very talented students from Randwick Boys High School.
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Byron Shire Council - Launch of Seniors Week - 21 March
An enthusiastic group of seniors attended the Byron Shire's launch of Seniors Week at the Ocean Shores Community Centre on 21 March.Noeline stressed to the crowd that Seniors Week is about having fun and celebrating all the great things about growing older. She even surprised the guests with some facts about laughing. "There is more to laughter than you think," Noeline said. "It stimulates the mind and gets the creative juices flowing. It relieves stress and helps people cope with daily pressures. It also reduces blood pressure, produces endorphins, oxygenates the blood and gives the respiratory system a tremendous workout. So during Seniors Week I want everyone to do lots of laughing and having fun."
The crowd was also treated to a performance by a group of three indigenous men. Noeline was very impressed by their traditional dancing and story telling.
As well as the indigenous trio there were dancing and musical performances by other ethnic groups, which certainly delighted the guests and organisers.
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Noble Park Social Committee and Tweed Shire Senior Citizens Week Committee - Launch of Seniors Week - 20 March
Noeline was asked to help launch Seniors Week by the Tweed Shire Council at the picturesque Noble Lakeside Park at Kingscliff on the north coast of NSW.Seniors Week is a special time of celebrations in all states and territories. It recognises the valuable contributions made by older Australians. All around the country seniors are able to participate in a wide range of activities put on by local Councils and other organisations. These activities can include computer lessons, dancing classes and cooking demonstrations.
Noeline received a very warm welcome from seniors at the event and she was impressed by all the activities organised by the Tweed Shire Council for its older residents.
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St George VIEW Club’s International Women’s Day Event - 15 March 2011
Noeline was guest speaker at another very well attended International Women's Day celebration event at The Gardens on Forest at Peakhurst, Sydney, on 15 March 2011.Noeline spoke about a play she starred in some years ago, Wallflowering (written by Peta Murray, an Australian playwrite), which had a feminist undertone to the storyline. It was a play about Mr and Mrs Small. Mrs Small had always put others in front of herself, particularly her husband but as she grew older and through a series of events, she changed into a confident woman who began to see how important she was.
Noeline related the storyline to what life used to be like for women in days gone by.
It was a great event and Noeline congratulated St George VIEW Club for organising such a fantastic function!
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Coolangatta VIEW Club - 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day Event - Tuesday, 8 March
Noeline was one of five speakers at the Coolangatta VIEW Club's event to celebrate International Women's Day. The room was packed with a few hundred women who wanted to celebrate and acknowledge all the great things women do for their families and their communities.As well as highlighting some of the many great things about women, Noeline also focused some of her speech on volunteering and how helping others enhances the lives of not only the people receiving the help but also the volunteer.
One of the other guest speakers spoke about her involvement with Opportunity International, a non-profit organisation that uses a business approach to help solve the problem of poverty. Rather than a hand-out, Opportunity International provides people living in poverty with a small loan (microfinance) to help them start or grow a small business. According to the organisation, this approach allows people to earn a regular income so they can buy food, clean water, proper shelter or an education for their children.
Another speaker was an inspiring young women who has been a recipient of the good work of the VIEW organisation - the high school student talked about how VIEW has helped her achieve great things at school and because of VIEW she looks forward to a bright future.
The last speaker was a local Indigenous woman who works in the aged care sector and has a smile that lights up a room. She talked about her career journey and proudly told the audience about the State and National awards she has won for her work helping older Australians living in residential aged care.
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Lioness Club of the Sutherland Shire - 100th Anniversary International Women's Day Luncheon - Saturday 5 March
Over 200 women attended the Lioness Club of Sutherland Shire's International Women's Day Luncheon at the gorgeous Doltone House in Sylvania Waters to celebrate the 100th anniversary of this international day, held on 8 March 2011.Noeline talked about what it is like to be an older women in the 21st century. She highlighted all the changes she has seen over the years, particularly the way women are in this modern world compared to when she was a young woman.
She also talked about how important it is to stay connected as we age. "Staying involved with our family, friends and community is very important as we grow older. Staying connected helps us ward off loneliness and other more serious problems like depression," Noeline said.
Noeline not only gave good advice about healthy active ageing, she also had the audience in raptures when she read passages from what could be described as the 'housewife's handbook of the 1950s' - how things have changed since then!
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Goulburn Mulwaree Council's Positive Ageing Program (Fit, Fast and Fifty Plus) - 2 March 2011
Noeline was invited along to attend one of the Fit, Fast and Fifty Plus sessions to talk about the things we need to do to help us live a long and healthy life.The Goulburn Mulwaree Council has developed a very worthwhile program called 'Fit, Fast and Fifty Plus' aimed at the younger retiree (although the program is open to all older people). The program aims to provide information and demonstrations that will help people make healthy lifestyle choices as they grow older.
There will be monthly sessions running from March to October which will cover a variety of topics, including finance, laughter therapy, computer skills and fitness.
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Port Kembla Evening VIEW Club 30th Anniversary Dinner - 1 March 2011
What a night! Over 120 women from various VIEW Clubs attended the Port Kembla Evening VIEW Club's 30th Anniversary Dinner. At Noeline's table there were four founding members of the Port Kembla Club. They have seen many changes over the years, but one thing that has always remained the same is the Club's desire to help disadvantaged children.Noeline said during her speech how impressed she is with the VIEW organisation and she congratulated the Port Kembla Club for all the great work they've done over the past 30 years.
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