Media Releases
Fire Awareness For Kids On Vacation
Teaching children fire awareness and prevention by means of fun, is a highlight of the vacation care program which will be conducted by Community One during the school holidays.
On October 1 children will enjoy a ride with Firefighter Rob in his veteran fire truck. Then they will enjoy colouring books and other material which will illustrate fire prevention.
After lunch, they will visit the Mount Martha CFA Fire Station, where the modern equipment will be explained and demonstrated.
They will be given fire prevention material to take home to their parents.
Aimee Paterson, Co-ordinator of Community One, said the Fire Awareness Day was in keeping with the intense public interest in bush fires, particularly in regard to the approaching summer season and the warnings the Victorian Government had made about the acute danger.
"We hope that, while they enjoy their ride, the children will understand that fires are certainly not fun", she added.
Community One's Vacation Care program is for a fortnight, starting on Monday September 21. Half the activity will be based on Mount Martha and the balance will feature interesting excursions.
Activities include the Star Wars Exhibition at Science Works, Luna Park, an Aquatic Centre, craft and cooking and sports.
For all in - house days there will be a parallel program of activities suitable for children aged over 10 years and for children less than 10 years.
Bookings can be made by phoning 5974 2966.
FOUNDERS CELEBRATE COMMUNITY ONE'S 30TH
The 30th anniversary of Community One was an example of a mighty oak growing from little acorns, the Chairman of Community One, Adam Birch, said when welcoming founders of the original Mount Martha Community Contact and guests to a birthday celebration last Saturday.
"We are celebrating the initiative, determination and hard work carried out by the founders", he added.
Created as a child care organisation, which initiated adult courses in the early 1980's, Mount Martha Community Contact gradually flourished.
"Several years ago we ascertained that 76 per cent of the people we served were from areas other than Mount Martha.
"It had become a Mornington Peninsula - wide organisation, based at Mount Martha, and so the original association evolved into Community One.
"We continue to grow and, last year, about 1,000 people attended our adult courses, there were 447 bookings for our low cost counseling service, about 150 families used our child care services and, most importantly, 1,530 hours were pro vided by volunteers, he added.
Community One is a not - for - profit association with a team of about 53 people, including 11 staff members, 29 sessional tutors and 14 volunteers.
Mr. Birch commended Jocelyn Kalwig - Kidd, founder of the original organisation, who is Vice-Chairman of Community One.
Guests of Honor Mayor Anne Shaw and local Federal parliamentarian Greg Hunt, both praised the founders, 17 of whom were in the audience, and all those who had continued this valuable community work.
The pair cut the traditional birthday cake and the founders were toasted with champagne donated by Hickinbotham Winery.