News

Children in the state’s
inner Eastern region
are “Given a Go"
The Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation again enabled 160 children to attend September camp free of charge with funding from the Give it a Go initiative. This time we contacted schools in the Frankston, Dandenong, and Springvale areas. Eight schools eagerly took up the opportunity sending 20 children each.

It is great to be able to provide some feedback to those who funded the camp, to the volunteers who gave up their time, and to reinforce why we are all involved with The Portsea Camp. Here are some of the responses: School 1- Some parents I spoke with expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to have a break from a child who may otherwise be quite demanding and welcomed the change in family dynamics for the week. The children who attended camp spoke of enjoying a variety of different experiences: camping out as a reward for behaving co-operatively, swimming even though it was really cold, the giant swing, the fun camp leaders, sharing a dormitory with so many other kids (positives & negatives), and the camp cooking activity.

A really big thank you for allowing our children the opportunity to attend your camp! School 2 - Portsea camp was a great opportunity for kids to experience a setting which they do not always get the opportunity to participate. For some it was an opportunity to have a break from a challenging sibling and to have respite from this situation. ‘Families who responded were most appreciative of the opportunity and students spoke glowingly of the camp upon their return.
School 3 - Very few of the children who attended ever go anywhere for a family holiday and most of their families are under some type of stress which of course is beyond the children’s control. I know all parents who had children attend the camp really appreciated the place and experience that you offered.

School 4 - We have had very positive feedback from all the students here who attended camp. For many this was a very powerful experience particularly the relationships that were developed with the camp leaders. We have also received positive feedback from the families. They were all delighted that their child/children had had such an enjoyable experience. We had comments that the house was so quiet, that they missed their children after the first few days. They were all keen to welcome them home on their return. For some this was the first holiday they had ever experienced.

Warming up for the 2010
summer season
The dates for our January camps are confirmed for January 2nd-9th, 10th-16th and
18th-24th. If you haven’t already advised us that you are wanting to volunteer please do so as soon as you can. So far we have numbers of 282, 292 and 273 for the three camps. This is without individuals being added, so we will be busy and need all the help we can get, particularly for the 3rd camp!!
If you are considering volunteering please take into account a change. Previously we have paid a volunteer’s allowance. This payment was made up of $10/ day allowance and a nominal fee for those driving. From this January 2010 we are going to provide an out of pocket expense for fuel of $40, but the daily allowance will be cancelled.
Instead of the allowance we will provide a t-shirt and hat, and a quarterly newsletter. This will save the Camp $12,000 annually which can be used to assist more children to attend. If eliminating the allowance means you will no longer be able to attend please speak with Camp staff.

April Camp
Our April camp was one of the smoothest camps we have ever experienced. The day after camp finished emails came through from parents and children alike saying what a great experience it had been, and asking “when the next camp will be held?” Country children from Colac, Traralgon, St Arnaud, Ararat, Tongala and Rushworth attended, as well as many individuals from all over Melbourne.
January camps must not be overlooked. Fantastic groups from all over Victoria and Southern NSW came by bus with large numbers of children. They were seamless and the last night concerts were some of the best we have ever seen thanks to some very talented volunteers and children.
January 2010 dates are listed below. We are running slightly shorter camps as trying to run back to back camps was
exhausting and unhealthy for all staff and those volunteers who come to one or more. We also considered that in these
economic times a decrease in price would be welcome.
We continue to work closely with the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation. Once again they have provided $60,000 for us to bring 150 children from metropolitan Melbourne to camp over the next year.

Around the camp
Anyone who visits Bayside will note the remarkable change. The exterior of both the units and the cottage look fresh and inviting. Our recent school visitors are certainly happy with the upgrades. The North Balwyn Rotary Club donated towards the Working Bee and this money was utilised around Bayside. The Bayside bunker will become a museum over the next six months. Work has begun on cataloguing the rich history of the camp so that visitors can spend time viewing items, photos and articles.
An abseiling wall will be built in the winter. Again the Swan Hill group has contributed vast sums to see this project through. The Frankston RSL has helped with the deficit and many schools are looking forward to the new activity. It will place the Camp in a whole new category being able to offer this one!
A large shade sail structure is also on the way with funds from the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation $12,000, The Lady Mayoress’ Committee $3000, and the Newsboys Foundation $14,000. Benalla Rotary and Fitzroys (who have previously helped with canoes), have again assisted us in purchasing new dryers.
Other significant donations have come from the Norman, Mavis and Graeme Water Perpetual Trust a great supporter of the Camp. Their contribution will be put towards our children’s charity camps. A local trust, the Toni Kaye Foundation, has also come good with $40,000 to enable us to replace half of our timber bunk beds with new commercial quality metal bunks, enabling us to get our ex Commonwealth Games mattresses out of storage and into use. What a difference that is making already! And they have promised a further $10,000 to enable us to construct a fence along Pt Nepean Rd during our October working bee.

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.

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