Newsletter
For those of you who missed this year's Dinner, you missed a great evening.
We gave Grants to 11 students, bound for University.
- Kathryn Andrew, BA Architecture, Uni Canberra
- Rosanna Blackman, BSc Biological Sciences, Uni W'gong
- Rubijayne Cohen, BA/BSc, ANU
- Madelyn Goss, Events Management, UTS
- Rosalie Forsyth, BA Education, Uni Canberra
- Lauren Kelly, BA (English/History) ANU
- Timothy McCaul, B Mathematics, Uni W'gong
- Talia Milliken, BSc Biological Sciences, Uni W'gong
- Dragomir Mladenovic, BA Architecture, Uni Canberra
- Jessica Watson, BA History, ANU
- Carrie Wilkinson, BSc (Advanced), Uni W'gong
They received $2,500 on the night, with a further $500 payable on completion of a successful first semester.
We had a good speech from Simon Meares, who has completed two years of Civil Engineering at UNSW. His results so far are commendable, but he had a rocky start, ill-prepared for such a tough course. He told us how he had overcome his earlier difficulties, and quelled his doubts in order to succeed.
Kathryn Andrew, one of the awardees, sang us three songs, accompanied by her brother Joel on the guitar. We may well end up with a singing Architect!
Although we were pleased to make 11 Grants, 2009 was not a financially successful year for the Foundation. Donations declined, but worse, two major commercial sponsors withdrew their support due to lean times, which resulted in a fall in income of 18%. It was only through the generosity of ANU, University of Canberra, and the RSL Sub-Branch that enabled us to make the 11 Grants. And let me say, if one had to drop out two or three of those applicants, it would be the toughest decision.
In these difficult times, my report to you would be matched by other charities, all experiencing a fall in donations. Even the Red Cross and the Salvos are doing it tough. I can only hope that circumstances will change soon, - hope is my stock-in-trade!
Thank you all for your support. Whatever you can do to raise a bit of cash for us, it will be more than welcome, and you will feel very good!
Have a good year!
Peter Wood.
Chairman