Page 5106 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video


Saturday, 22 October. The corps officers at the Belconnen Salvation Army have worked tirelessly to ensure that the day was a great success. I know that envoys Roz Edwards and Angela Czoban would like me to acknowledge the generosity of a number of ACT businesses and individuals whose contribution has greatly enhanced the ability of the Belconnen Salvos to continue their work and ministry in the Belconnen community. In addition to church services, the Belconnen Salvation Army provides an extensive range of recreational and support activities for all age groups. The organisation and in particular Belconnen Salvation Army certainly punch well above their weight.

I would like to acknowledge the following for their contribution and generosity at Saturday’s spring fair: the RAAF hot air balloon; ACT Policing for the appearance of Kenny Koala, who is always a favourite with young and old alike; Prime Possum and Prime TV; Kestine from Love Your Style; the Tuggeranong and Queanbeyan Salvation Army Corps; Andante Andante choir; the Murrumbidgee bush band; bush poet Lorraine McCrimmon; the Hawker primary school band; Southern Cross early childhood school choir; Kingsford Smith school choir; sirens cheerleading; Katherine for the pony rides; Bunnings Belconnen; That’s Cool; Audio Solutions; Event Hire; Northside Community Services; Dickson Salvation Army Welfare; Community CPS Credit Union; Care Traffic Services; Sydney SAES; Aussie Farmers; Canberra Milk; Coca-Cola Amatil; Gloria Jean’s; Rodney’s of Pialligo; The Garden; Yowani golf club; Club Lime; Mogo Zoo; Solartint; Brumbies; Merimbula Beach Resort; Kidszone; Westpac; Smith’s Snackfoods; Commonwealth Park; Tradies club; McDonalds; Magpies Football Club; Canberra Recovery Services; and, finally, Brendan Smyth for his compering skills on the day.

This is also a great opportunity to put in a plug for the upcoming carols on the lawn. It is a Salvation Army event which will be taking place on 11 December at the Belconnen Salvation Army headquarters in Scullin. It will feature the Salvation Army brass band. I encourage everyone to attend.

This evening, I would also like to talk about the wonderful work of Fusion Canberra. I had the great pleasure of attending the Friends of Fusion fundraising dinner last night. Fusion is an international youth and community organisation with three part-time paid staff but 50 volunteers giving of their time on a weekly basis. With between 150 and 200 other volunteers involved throughout the year, the organisation manages 20 different projects and programs.

Fusion works to give disadvantaged and marginalised young people a purpose in the community and gives them the resilience to deal with adversity. This work includes breakfast clubs in schools, chaplains in two high schools, Wombat Wardrobe quality second hand clothing and book stores, sustainable living education, youth programs at schools, youth adventure day trips, and Aboriginal reconciliation work focused on an annual pilgrimage to Uluru for high school children from across Australia.

Co-located with their hub at the Carleton Street shops in Kambah is their largest initiative, their social enterprise called Wombat Wardrobe. This social enterprise, opened in May 2010 by Senator Gary Humphries with Steve Doszpot MLA present, has quickly become a community hub for Canberrans. With a great story in last


Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video