A Busy Start

Camp life is certainly never dull. The year has been all about one group checking out and the next group’s bus practically rolling down the drive directly after! We look like this year will be our highest occupancy ever!

January camps ran terribly smoothly and the Nunawading Rotary provided zodiac proved a great hit out on the water. The mass of blue rash vests along the beach was also a fantastic sight. Our thanks to the Frankston RSL for the donation.

The April camp was again a combination of groups from all over Victoria. We had country children from St Arnaud, Ararat, Colac and Traralgon. Funding from the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation enabled 60 inner city children to attend. Our thanks to the Ardoch Foundation for organizing this group. The Dingley Kiwanis again sent children from Bayside Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula Shire helped local children to experience camp. Our great thanks to all of the organisers and volunteers for these camps.

Now we are gearing towards September CAMPS. Not one, but two September camps will be run this year. Through the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation the Shane Warne Foundation is sponsoring one camp, and a group of Rotary Clubs from Boroondara in Melbourne are bringing down children from the Moira Shire in an initiative called “Boroondara Cares.” We have all the children, but we desperately need your help with adult volunteers.

LMCF
Their involvement in the Camp has certainly increased our ability to achieve our mission. The contribution that the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation has made will enable 150 more children to attend in this coming year. Their funding will bring approximately 100 children down to camp in September. These children are to be sourced through the State School’s Relief Committee. This is an organisation that assists very needy children in government schools. Their aim is to provide the children with clothing and books. We will then follow on by providing a break and opportunities which they may not ordinarily be afforded.

The Fund’s contacts with other philanthrophic agencies has meant we have been offered $100,000 towards the cost of the much needed decommissioning of the sewerage treatment plant. It is a fantastic start, but we still need $120,000 in order to change over to mains sewerage. A lot yes, but it is overdue and becoming quite desperate. If you can help please send back the donation slip, and make it a tax deduction.

AROUND THE CAMP
The Parade Ground en-suite bathrooms were all fully renovated during January. This has made a big difference to the feedback we are receiving about people’s stay’s with us. Our thanks go to Heritage Victoria for providing the grant to fund this project.

Fantastic news, the Melbourne Newsboys have funded the purchase of 8 more canoes so we will have a definite presence on the water this summer.

Stephen has recently been on a promotional tour through some regional towns. His first trip took him to Mildura where until 6 years ago 50 children attended camp annually. He met with the Shire, RSL, and the local Rotary Club and we are hopeful that 20 children will come to camp this January and travel with our Horsham or Yarriambiack group. The Shepparton Rural City Council was also happy to meet with Stephen and discuss the prospect of children from their area coming to Camp.

Yarrawonga and Cobram were next on the itinerary. The Rotary Clubs welcomed the interaction with the Camp and a look at how we can work together moving forward. For those of you thinking “he hasn’t visited us yet?” well he may be on his way. We are looking into other areas and plan on making many more trips.

We are redesigning the website, so anyone with ideas please email them through, alexc@theportseacamp.com.au

Bayside is under renovation at present. Dale, who has taken over from Ben in maintenance, has transformed the garden aspect and with the recent rain the lawn is starting to take shape. Les and Chris are on the exterior and the overall results are great.

Sewerage Plant
The Portsea Camp has been generously offered $100,000 by the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation towards the overall cost of $270,000 to SAY FAREWELL to our 35 year old sewerage treatment plant. We are calling on the Victorian community to get behind the camp as we strive to raise the extra $170,000. Our treatment plant won't last forever, in fact we have been trying to get rid of it for years but never dreamed it could be a possibility. Can you help?

BOROONDARA CARES CAMP (20-27 sEPT)
Rotary Clubs in the Boroondara area have pooled their support to get behind children from drought affected Moira Shire. 40 children will be attending camp from the Shire to join with 80 children from disadvantaged inner metropolitan schools funded by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation. Our thanks to the clubs for their support to children from Moira. We’ll do our best to make sure they have a great week at Portsea!

Shane WARNE FOUNDATION CAMP (27 SEPT – 3 oCT)
Thanks to the help of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation the camp is fortunate to have secured another principal supporter for September camps. The Shane Warne Foundation has offered to sponsor the second of the two camps. To be attended by disadvantaged children from inner metropolitan Melbourne, with many children coming from a number of child and family support services. We are hoping to see another 120 children attend this camp. Our thanks to the Foundation for appreciating the value a week at camp makes to a child.