July 2009 Newsletter Issue No 11

LETTER FROM THE BELLARINE POLICE COMMUNITY SUPPORT REGISTER INC COMMITTEE

Dear Registrants,
I am writing on behalf of the Committee to thank the 518 Registrants who responded to the Health and Safety Survey circulated with the March newsletter. The Survey was seeking information about how Registrants coped during the January and February extreme weather conditions and power outages.

You will not be surprised to know many respondents indicated they adopted ‘common sense’ measures:
They did not exert themselves with excessive physical activities.
They wore loose clothing.
They resorted to using a damp face washer to keep themselves cool.
Made sure they kept up with drinking plenty of fluids.

General concerns were:-
The safety of family, friends and animals in bush fire areas.
What would happen should bush fires occur on the Bellarine Peninsula? How would such emergencies be handled? Where would residents go to be safe?
Uncertainty during failure of the electric supply system.
How long would it be unavailable? How would they keep cool without air
conditioning? How would they be able to sleep? What would they eat? How would they cook and care for family members with chronic illness? How safe is food in the fridge and freezer when the power has been cut off? What happens to medication in the extreme heat?
How to keep their pets safe.

During the next few months the Committee hopes to meet with agencies providing services on the Bellarine Peninsula, to review health and safety measures and discuss implementation of heat wave strategies.

Sincerely,


Ann Nichol OAM,
Committee Chairperson

UPDATE ON FUNDING
The committee gratefully acknowledges the following donations, grants and sponsorships received since January and the three major sponsorships and grants received during June 2009.


DONATIONS
Bellarine Quilters $50.00
Magistrates Court $500.00
Metricon Homes $500.00
Eighty-seven Registrants $1963.00
All Saints Anglican Church Opp Shop $100.00
Neighbourhood Watch GLG 56 and 62
St Leonards and Indented Head $100.00
SPONSORSHIPS AND GRANTS
Bellarine Memories third annual sponsorship $1500.00
Best of Care contribution towards the cost of the July newsletter $1077.00
Rotary Club of Drysdale $2000.00



SPONSORSHIP IN KIND
The Committee also expresses its appreciation for the assistance received from Bellarine Bayside Foreshore and Bellarine Community Health Inc with arrangements for the Victoria Police Band Concert held in March which raised $2,845.00.

Clifton Springs Neighbourhood Watch GLG 59 letterbox distribution of Brochures and Registration forms in Clifton Springs.

REVIEW OF EXPENDITURE
The Committee continues to be committed to providing a free registration to all residents of the Bellarine Peninsula, irrespective of age and gender.

In a review of the operating budget in March the Committee decided, as a cost saving measure, to reduce the publication of the quarterly newsletters to three a year. Consequently, the June 2009 issue was not published.

However, at its recent meeting the Committee reconsidered this decision and will recommence quarterly publications. During the remainder of 2009 we will publish newsletters in July, October/November and from then on in March, June, September and November.

REGISTRANT’S KEY RING TAGS
For practical and economic reasons the Register Committee has to discontinue supplying laminated ID key ring tags because they do not have a long life expectancy.

However, from now on we will supply:
To all new Registrants a paper insert with their ID details, which will fit into a plastic key ring, sized 2 cm wide and 4.7 cm in length (internal dimensions). These key rings are readily available for purchase at most newsagents and hardware shops.
To existing Registrants a similar insert will be supplied should they request it.
REGISTRANT’S PHONE LINK
The Committee is seeking your interest in a new service we wish to introduce called the ‘Registrant’s Phone Link’. The aim of the Phone Link is:
To provide a facility for Registrants who might enjoy talking on a regular basis to another Registrant with similar interests.
If you are interested we invite you to complete the enclosed Expression of Interest Form and mail to the Register Office at Bellarine Police Community Support Register, PO Box 819, Ocean Grove, Vic. 3226.

STATISTICS
Registrations as at 30/05/2009 were 1552 (18% of the Bellarine Peninsula target age group). Township percentages are based on the 2006 Census population figures for each township for those aged 65 years and over. Updated information will be included in the next newsletter.

TOWNSHIP % RESPONSE TOWNSHIP % RESPONSE
Barwon Heads 15.8 Point Lonsdale 33.5
Clifton Springs 13.6 Portarlington 21.0
Drysdale 16.4 Queenscliff 26.0
Indented Head 23.0 St Leonards 15.0
Leopold 7.0 Wallington 3.0
Ocean Grove 21.0

PROMOTIONS
Volunteers have attended ten promotional events including a radio interview, shopping strip Promotion Stand, Community Expo, Open Day for representatives of local organisations and guest speaking engagements.

We are told successful marketing strategies are when customers talk about the product. 17% of new Registrants indicated they registered because of ‘word of mouth’ referrals. We invite you to talk to your friends and neighbours about the benefits of the Register. Brochures and Registration Forms are available at pharmacies on the Bellarine Peninsula.

DATES FOR THE DIARY
We invite you to support the following fundraising or promotional events:

DAY AND DATE VENUE AND TIME COST
Monday 17 August 2009 Portarlington Golf Club Charity Day $30
Sunday 23 August 2009 Ocean Grove Senior Citizens Fund Raising Concert –
The Melodaires Entertainment Group will perform
“Music that Lingers – The Good Times We Had’ - 2 pm $5.00
Thursday 1 October 2009
Saturday 10 October 2009 Ocean Grove Senior Citizens Concert – 2 pm
Ocean Grove Senior Citizens Concert – 7 pm
Performers will be ‘The Troubadours’ TBC
Saturday 10 October 2009 2009 Community Expo Ocean Grove Uniting Church
Sunday 18 April 2010 2010 Victoria Police Band Concert, Portarlington TBC

PET CARE DURING EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS
Have a pet survival plan, including transport arrangements if required.
All animals should have an adequate supply of cool, clean water. During the summer animals drink more water than in winter.
Old animals, and the very young, are more susceptible to heat.
Animals suffering from heat exhaustion will pant, lie on their side, be listless and disorientated. In severe cases they may become unconscious.
Petcare Information and Advisory Services
HAVE YOU HAD A CHUCKLE LATELY?
When I arrived for my daughter’s parent-teacher meeting, the teacher seemed a bit flustered as she started telling me that my daughter didn’t always pay attention in class, and could be a little flighty. ‘For example, she’ll complete the wrong page in a workbook’, the teacher explained, ‘or sits at the wrong desk’.
‘I don’t understand’, I replied defensively. ‘Where could she have gotten that?’
The teacher reassured me that my daughter was still doing fine in school and was sweet and likeable. Finally, she added ‘By the way, Mr Johnson, our appointment was for tomorrow’.

A group of primary school students were on a field day trip to the local police station. Several were fascinated by the ‘wanted posters’ on the wall. Little Billy raised his hand and asked the police officer giving them the tour who the people on the wall were.
‘Those are pictures of criminals we are looking for’, answered the policeman. ‘We call them wanted posters’.
Little Billy looked puzzled. ‘Well’ he wondered, ‘why didn’t you just keep them when you took their picture?’
Geelong Advertiser – Jokes of the Day



CONTACT DETAILS AND ENQUIRIES
The Bellarine Police Community Support Register Inc office is staffed by Volunteers each week day from 9.30 am until 12 noon.
Telephone: 03 5255 3968
Correspondence should be addressed to: PO Box 819, Ocean Grove, Vic. 3226.
Donations to the Register will be accepted by any Bendigo Bank Branch in the Geelong region. Our account details are:
Bendigo Bank Branch 6333 108 – Account 127715209. All donations of $2.00 and over are income tax deductible.