We hope you have had a wonderful summer so far, and have been able to properly look after
yourselves in the heat by staying in the shade, drinking plenty of fresh water, using air-
conditioners, keeping fans blowing and making sure that your next-of-kin and other family and
friends were aware of any ‘situations’ in which you may have found yourselves. At least this
summer hasn’t been quite as bad as last year’s.
As a result of last year’s disastrously high temperatures and its catastrophic results, the
government saw fit to provide grants for 25 new Community Registers similar to ours, and has also
made provision to financially assist some existing Registers, ours being one of those. The funding
for Bellarine Police Community Support Register Inc. was formalised in late December 2009 and
we have now received our funding so that we can put advertising plans into effect as soon as
possible. Even though we have received some funds from the state government we can not be idle
or complacent as those funds will only last us for a short time, so if you are able to support the
Register with donations, however small, they will be gratefully received and faithfully applied.
Our advertising will be focused entirely on our own local Bellarine Peninsular area, as there is little
point in spending much-needed funds on advertising our services to localities outside our district.
This also enables the $$$$$ to be spent in and for our own local businesses. The more that we, as
citizens, can keep our money circulating within our own community, the more beneficial it is for us
all. It’s all part of the general 'buy local, shop local' ethos that helps to sustain our society. Now is
an excellent time to ask you to please support our own supporters who are listed over the page.
We would be unable to continue our service to you without their generous financial allocations to
us, and without their ‘in-kind’ support.
We are trialling sending out your newsletters by email in order to try to save money. If this causes
you any difficulties please let us know. In fact, would you please let us know whether you approve
or disapprove of emailing - we only want to do what is both economical and effective, and want to
be able to satisfy the majority. Would you please write to us with your thoughts to, BPCSR, PO
Box 819, Ocean Grove, Vic. 3226.
Sincerely,
P.M. (Phil) Green
Committee Chairman
UPDATE ON FUNDING
The Committee is very appreciative of the following donations, grants, and sponsorships that we
have received during October, November, and December 2009
Metricon Homes $3000
Ocean Grove Bowling Club $1000
Ocean Grove Senior Citizens Club $258
Lions Club of Ocean Grove $200
All Saints Anglican Opp. Shop - Barwon Heads $200
Registrants (34) $460
VICTORIA POLICE SHOWBAND
AND PIPE BAND CONCERT
The Police Band will be performing at Parks Hall in
Portarlington on Sunday 18 April from 1.30pm. This
ever-popular event is still only $12.00 admission and
there will also be a raffle on the day to help raise funds
for BPCSR. You can buy your tickets at Bellarine
Community Health Centres in Point Lonsdale, Ocean
Grove, Drysdale, Portarlington, and St Leonards, but
you’ll have to be quick as there’s only 180 tickets
available and it’s 'first in, best dressed'. Tea, coffee and
biscuits are included in the admission price.
DO NOT CALL NUMBERS SET TO DROP OFF LIST
Australians who believed their home phone numbers were permanently protected from unsolicited
marketing calls by joining the ‘Do Not Call’ database may find themselves receiving fresh phone
sales pitches this year as there is a three year time limit on entries on the national register. In other
words, if you registered your ‘phone 3 or more years ago then it will again become available to
telemarketers and such-like in May 2010. Numbers can be renewed ahead of time on the
donotcall.gov.au website, or by phoning 1300 792 958. The communications authority said there
had been a 60% reduction in complaints received about the telemarketing industry since the
introduction of the register.”
JUST BE AWARE … that we’ve heard that a Queensland company called Seniors Plus is cold-
calling elderly people and implying that they are from a health provider. They ask questions about
health-care needs and whether they care for someone and further implying that they are a
legitimate ‘service’. They attempt to arrange a ‘home visit’ offering a chance to go in a prize draw
for a scooter as an incentive, and once in the home are quite persistent in persuading the person
to sign a contract for a very expensive bed or other equipment. Consumer Affairs are dealing with
a number of enquiries/complaints, so do be careful.
NEW DOOR-TO-DOOR TRANSPORT
A successful trial in Leopold of the community bus service Bellarine Communities Going Places
has been extended to Portarlington. The service started in St Leonards during October and rolled
out to other towns on the Peninsula.
People with mobility limitations can sign up for the weekly service. Volunteer drivers pick people up
from their homes in the community bus and take them shopping or to local appointments.
If you know someone who would benefit from this service, or to find out about becoming a
volunteer driver please phone Peter Hibbert on 5258 2457.
NINA’S IDEA TURNS INTO A BUS
Bellarine Secondary School student Nina Hamilton-Grundy has turned a wish for an Ocean Grove
to Torquay bus into a reality. Nina and her peers have long wanted to travel between Ocean Grove and the Surf Coast without the long detour via Geelong. McHarry’s and the Department of Transport have worked on a pilot service for this summer, and expanded the concept to connect with the Queenscliff Ferry, Jan Juc and the Lorne V/Line bus.
The trial ran from 19 December 2009 – 31 January 2010.
REGISTRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES need to let us know to up-date when registrants are
absent for holidays, hospital, respite needs et cetera so that we have accurate information to help
keep you safe in relation to your health and welfare, BUT please don’t think that we (The Register)
pass this particular information on to the Police. If you feel that you need the Police to be aware of
your absence for security purposes, then you need to contact them yourselves so that they can
record your absence in their own system.
Our PhoneLink initiative is designed to enable like-minded people to get-together on the ‘phone
as regularly as they wish. You tell us what your interests are, such as your garden; your favourite
TV shows; sports interests; chatting about recent outings; your children or grandchildren, or
anything else that you like to chat about. Our PhoneLink coordinator, Elaine, will then try to put
you in touch with someone of similar interests so that you can have a telephone friend to talk to
and have interesting chats. Call our coordinator on 5255 3968 so that we can send you an
‘Application to Join’ and get the ball rolling.
Thank you for your massive response to the Personal Update Form in the last newsletter. That
information certainly helps you to feel safer by providing accurate information for the Police to act
on in an emergency.
Smile, Smirk, and Sigh …
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat
and drink beer all day.
If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably well worth it.
If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
Some days you are the bug; some days you are the windscreen.
Good judgment comes from bad experience ... and most of that comes from bad judgment.
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
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