From the President  

To Inform, to Celebrate, to Inspire, to Farewell and to Record.

This is the 69th edition of the Old Virgilians Association monthly eNewsletter, OVAtion. Since September 2017 the Association has sought to inform the St Virgil’s alumni of upcoming events, celebrate the lives and achievements of those who have passed through the College, to acknowledge those who have passed and to create an ongoing record of these through this means.

Graeme Rainbow is largely responsible for the gathering and collation of the material contained in the OVAtions. He is the unique position of having an excellent overview of the alumni given he now had 52 years of direct association with SVC – seven as student, 33 as teacher and 12 as archivist. He is extremely keen to record the stories of current and former students and never ceases to be amazed at what they do and where they do it.  The number of stories in his files now is approaching 900. His overriding purpose is to preserve these in order to inspire the current and future students of the College that they are part of something very special. It has produced outstanding alumni.

At the official opening of St Virgil’s College on Sunday 22 January, 1911, Brother M McCarthy, representing the Christian Brothers’ leadership, expresses his aspirations for the new college.

“The College would be,” he proclaimed, “synonymous with all that was broadest and best, most liberal, and most progressive in the educational work in the State. He hoped that, year by year, it would send forth a stream of young men of well-trained intelligence, of strong moral character, and of high ideals, young men who would enter as a vitalizing force into the social, intellectual, and civic life of the country and contribute the part of good citizens to its progress.

Those whose emails are registered with the Association receive the eNewletter directly. In addition - all copies are able to be viewed here: https://www.oldvirgilians.org.au/.

Reunions

It is pleasing to note that a number of intended reunions in the planning stages. I thank these gentlemen for  their initiative and  urge their peer group members to support them in their endeavours.

Class of 1954

Geoff Doolan, doolang38@gmail.com, 0427 391 150 

When: Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 November

Class of 1983

Contact: Phil Gard, prtgard@gmail.com, 0411 254 315

When: Yet to be determined – dependent on response. 

Class of 1993

Contact: Gene Graham, genekg@gmail.com, 0422 115 359     

When: Saturday November 18 from 6.00 pm at The Maypole Hotel

Best wishes to you and yours.

David Mazengarb