The Girton eLink

Girton Community Action Group

GCAG Easter Raffle and Harmony Day Cupcake Stall

Harmony Day celebrations during Week 9 of Term One certainly created a stir amongst the students. Congratulations to all of our competition winners - Multicultural Musical Bingo certainly got a few people bopping along and the chance to win a $10 Meal Voucher to the canteen was too good to pass up! During this week GCAG ran an Easter Raffle to raise money for Bendigo Food Share. The raffle was drawn on the Thursday of week 9 Term 1 and the winner was Mr Smeelie of Jenkin House. Second prize went to Ms Narelle Bottams of the Business Office. The raffle raised $154.00 which will be donated to Bendigo Food Share. Every $1 donated to Bendigo Foodshare buys 16 meals so your support has fed more than 2,000 people! Thank you to everyone who supported the raffle and to the GCAG members who donated items for the Easter Raffle. We would also like to thank Mrs Naughton and Ms Mountain for the fantastic work they do for the school and community.

 

Hamish Knight (8 Aherne)

 

 

 

National Reconciliation Week

GCAG acknowledges and pays respect to the land past, present and future of traditional custodians and elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual, and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. 

 

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about the shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia on 27 May to 3 June.

 

These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey - the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision.

 

27 May 1967 - On this day, Australia’s most successful referendum saw more than 90 per cent of Australians vote to give the Australian Government power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and recognise them in the Census.

 

3 June 1992 - the Australian High Court delivered the Mabo decision, the culmination of Eddie Koiki Mabo’s challenge to the legal fiction of ‘terra nullius’ (land belonging to no one) and leading to the legal recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of lands. This decision paved the way for Native Title.

 

Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds, and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

 

The theme for this year is to be brave and initiate change; and the best part is it does not have to be anything big to make a difference! Simply educating yourself or your peers about the land and the history of Australia or standing up for a person who is experiencing discrimination. Remember random acts of kindness can impact someone’s life.

 

Although Reconciliation week lasts for seven days, it is important to keep the actions in which we display to others in mind, to be respectful to those who have faced hardship before us. Also to recognise that the land on which we live upon today is Aboriginal land so that one day we may walk forward, together in harmony.

 

In the spirit of reconciliation week GCAG intends to raise awareness for literacy support and help boost educational opportunities for the communities that are less fortunate in Australia. Together, we can make a difference.

 

How can you help?

In front of Morey Reception there will be a box in which you can donate books, that will go to communities in need of literacy support. 

 

Guidelines for donating are:

 

Age levels: Suitable for children from 0-16 years of age.

 

We do accept – New and second hand:

  • Picture books – new titles, classic titles, favourite authors, award winners
  • Early readers – popular series, cardboard books
  • Fiction – new titles, popular authors, classics
  • Non-Fiction (current and relevant to Indigenous culture)

We do not accept books that have:

  • Binding that is frayed
  • Cover and pages that torn or missing
  • Food stains
  • Been chewed on
  • Been written in or highlighted
  • Mould, dirt or water damage
  • Battery operated sounds.
  • An accompanying CD, but CD is missing
  • Novels or books directed at an adult audience or containing adult content
  • Pamphlets
  • Encyclopaedias
  • Religious material
  • Magazines
  • Home decorating or gardening books, craft books, financial guides
  • Medical, technical and scientific books
  • Educational textbooks
  • Library books

 

Thank you for your support.

 

Myra Muhammad (11 Jenkin) and Sharoon Mirza (11 Jenkin)

Girton Community Action Group

 

Dignity Drive - Thank you Girton for your support!

 

Girton Community Action Group would like to thank everyone who supported and donated to Share the Dignity Drive throughout March. The drive is now closed, and we are extremely pleased to report that we received a tremendous amount of donations, with the Girton community donating enough products to fill 10 shopping bags! This will go towards caring for menstruators in poverty who otherwise would struggle to afford basic period care.

 

Thank you once again for the outstanding support and make sure to keep and eye out for the next drive!

 

Jenna Ackland (10 Jones)