Fortnightly News 28/5/2021
$1 Increase in the Activity Fee from 1 July 2021
We will be increasing the Activity Fee from $5 to $6 from 1 July 2021. This is the first increase in ten years. With the impact of the pandemic there are less people using the Club and we are currently making a loss. Due to the pandemic we have had to increase the level of cleaning in the Club, this has doubled the cleaning cost to the Club. A convenient way to manage this increase is to buy vouchers from the front office.
Club Membership
Please ensure your membership and parking voucher is up to date.
Save the Date – BIG Book Fair
The Club has decided to have a BIG Book Fair from 5 to 8 August 2021 – just over two months away. It will be a COVID Safe event.
There are many thousands of books waiting to be sold. These have been collected over the last two years. To have the best chance of selling them all, the Book Fair will be held over four days this time.
This means we will need plenty of volunteers to help, particularly people who are interested in taking a leadership role in several areas, namely: non-fiction, children, DVDs and CDs, carpark management, and as a COVID safe marshal. If you are interested in taking on any of these roles please let Polly know.
Woden Seniors is turning 50th next year
Do you remember … an activity you enjoyed? working with friends to do something? a funny situation? unforgettable moments? winning the sweep at the Melbourne Cup Party? laughing with friends at a Christmas lunch? We’d like to hear about them because next year is our 50th Anniversary. We want to create something special to celebrate – a book of memories, the special memories of our members. Please write them for us and give them to Polly, or email them to the Club. If you would prefer to talk about them, please let Polly know so we can arrange a time to talk together about them.
Enjoy remembering,
Cindy McMillan
Please Do Not Enter the Club if:
- You are feeling unwell and developing cold or flu like symptoms (including fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue or shortness of breath); or
- You have been in close contact with someone with these symptoms or is a confirmed COVID-19 case; or
- You or someone you have been in close contact with has recently returned from interstate or overseas.
Check In CBR App
The ACT Government has mandated that the Check In CBR App be used by all venues from 6 March 2021. This means that members entering the Club must use the Check In CBR App.
The ‘Check In CBR’ app is a contactless, secure and convenient way for members to sign into the Woden Seniors Club.
The app helps protect the community by assisting with faster contact tracing. The app enables individuals to check-in to venues and have this data stored securely with ACT Health in the event contact tracing is needed due to a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the community.
Use of the app will help the ACT Health contact tracing team quickly identify and assist anyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
During the COVID-19 public health emergency non-essential businesses and undertakings are required by law to ask for the first name and phone number of people who attend their venue. Use of this app enables businesses to comply with these laws.
Download the App
5 step process to download and use the app:
(Internet connection and compatible phone or tablet device required)
- Download the Check In CBR App from Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
- Register your details (required for the first time only).
- At participating venues, open the app, select ‘Check In Now’ and hover your smartphone over the displayed QR code.
- Add in any additional people – those who are with you without their own device or app.
- When the check-in is complete, show venue staff the app successful check in screen.
Spiral News
Dear Spiral newsletter readers
There are many more of you than there are people who attend our weekly gatherings. That’s fine: you should come to the talks and events that appeal to you, you don’t need to come along every week. It means that we are not sure how many people we need to cater for with cakes/ biscuits/ sandwiches, but we know by 10.00 how many people we have and we adjust to that. The group that organises Spiral, and there are many of us, have been very pleasantly surprised that our numbers in 2021 are better than ever, that we are regularly meeting new members and it is wonderful to hear the buzz of conversations after 11.00. And I get feedback from people who don’t come along but enjoy hearing what we are doing. That’s nice.
I have never before sent out two newsletters in a 24-hour period. And I’ll try to be quick because in less than seven hours’ time, at 5 am on Friday, I am being taken to the airport to fly to Auckland to visit my elder son and his family which includes a grandson I have never met even though he is already walking. Covid-19 has had many consequences, in the big picture this is quite a minor one, but my wife and I are looking forward to catching up after such a long break.
There was a change to the program I sent out last night and there have been consequential changes. You will have to wait until July to meet Jane Goffman and to hear about Canberra’s first aerodrome. I’m grateful to John Morland who has stepped in at short notice to fill this gap. In trying to fill the gap I got a very special offer but I had to juggle other slots. Tracy Gillard has stepped back a week and you will now have to wait until July to hear about life on the diplomatic circuit.
Here is the new program.
June 3 John Morland Planet Vulcan
Those of us who have watched Star Trek know Dr Spock came from the planet Vulcan in a separate solar system light years away from our own. However, in our own solar system, 19th century astronomers believed there was a planet orbiting between our Sun and the planet Mercury. They named it Vulcan. To them it was real, it was a planet. It had theoretical credibility and it had even been discovered and seen on a few occasions. It was elusive, it was an enigma, it appeared and disappeared, it continually defied the predictions of the most brilliant mathematical minds of the time. It literally was the phantom, the ghost in Newton’ s clockwork universe. John, in his third astronomy talk with us, will share this fascinating planetary tale.
June 10 Tony Llewellyn-JonesThe Governor’s Family
If the name Tony Llewellyn-Jones rings a bell, it should. Google will tell you why. Tony lives in Sydney but he is directing the next Canberra Repertory production which will run between July 1 – 11. After hearing why this play was selected, how it will be presented, I’m sure you will be queueing up with me for tickets. What an opportunity, I thank Tony for giving up his busy time for us.
June 17 Tracy Gillard Leo’s Place
Tracy is the Chief Executive Officer of Palliative Care ACT. Leo’s Place is a new non-clinical facility which was opened in January this year. It provides respite for people with a life-limiting illness and their carers.
June 24 Phil Creaser Messages from the Past… Lessons for the Future
One of the benefits of the pandemic, for us but not for Phil, is that our guest speaker is in Canberra instead of on a luxury liner sailing to exotic destinations giving lectures to the passengers.
Phil will tell us what we can learn from the fossil record and why we need a Natural History Museum here in Canberra.
Spiral is a group of senior citizens (60+ to 90+) that meet each Thursday morning, they are non-denominational with people from varied backgrounds, occupations and origins. The Spiral Photo Album gives a good sense of who they are and what they do. There are no fees but a $1 contribution to costs is requested. Spiral is seeking new members, helpers and guest speakers. You are not obliged to come every week and you can come for the talk and/or the morning tea. Any questions or suggestions please contact me or one of the other people on the list below.
Location: The Uniting Church in Gillies Street, Curtin.
When: Thursday morning.
Time: Speakers will commence at 10.10 and most will join us for the morning tea that will follow.