My new nephew

Posted by a very proud Uncle Grazer!!! Zachary Daniel King was born at 6:52 this morning, weighing 8lbs 2ozs. He is very spunky! Full head of dark hair like his dad. This pic doesn't quite do him justice - silly camera phone. Will put some better ones up when we get them - and some after he has had a bath!

Joey Scouts

Last night I was a guest at the Healesville Joey Scouts. I was invited to recieve toys that each of the Joey Scouts had selected from their own toy collection. These toys were then to be given to someone else in need.

It was great hearing each of the kids share about their toys, why they were special for them, and how much they loved them. One boy even had a photo taken with the toy, and attached it to the toy dog's neck. That way the new recipient of the toy will know who it is from!

The Joey Scouts did a great job - thanks heaps for the toys! They will be given to children who need them.

Children...

It's children's week!!!
Today I helped out at the Fun 4 Kids Day in town. I was on balloon duty, and as you can see by the picture, many ended up on the roof of the hall! Many families came to the day, with toddlers running around everywhere! It was crazy, but fun to be part of.

I collated a list of all the contacts we have made through the school holiday programs today. We have connected with 44 families, which comes to 59 kids!!! These families were not connected to us before we ran our two school holiday programs. We're planning on starting a kids club, called Kidzone, in the near future - if you want to help out let me know!

Children are so important. It's been good to have grandchildren come to church with their grandparents during the year. Its fun (most weeks) going to the primary school and teaching Christian Education. One way that Healesville Salvos can stay relevant in this community is to connect with children and their families.

Speaking of children...I'm still waiting to become an uncle - any day now!

MIA

Been otherwise occupied lately. However, came across this pic, didn't have anyone specific in mind ;

News wrap

What's been making news...

• A women in Badger Creek awoke to find a man standing beside her bed - at 4am in the morning! This is freaky - waking up at 4 am to see a man wearing a black t-shirt and a beanie. This women needs our prayers at this time. (Mail, 7 Oct, page 1)
• Three business in the main street had their windows broken on Friday morning and Saturday morning last week. (Mail, 7 Oct, page 3)
• Healesville's RecLink Rocky Road Choir made its first public appearance last week at Dinner at Darron's. A number of people from the Corps are involved. (Mail, 7 Oct, page 6)
• The Shire Mayor, Cr Tim Heenan, is spending the week sleeping it rough in Melba Park, Lilydale, to raise awareness of homelessness. (Mail, 9 Oct, page 9)
• A new cafe has opened in Healesville - next door to our Care 'n' Wear shop! (Mail 7 Oct, page 29)

CWA Nite Chicks

This morning I helped cook the barbecue for the Healesville CWA Nite Chicks. It was a good morning, with Memorial Hall filled with stall holders, with everything from Curves, to ladies clothing, books, make-up, Tupperware, wine tasting and more!

The Healesville Nite Chicks supported our 'Power Lab' school holiday program, so the least I could do was help cook the barbecue!

It's on days like today that you see the best of the community - different groups working together, saying hello to people you know as they wander down the street.

But alas, I didn't pick up a chick...maybe next time!

Healesville Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Tonight I was a guest speaker at the Healesville Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It was a good opportunity to connect with a different section of the community - and an important sector, the businesses who help keep the economy going!

I asked those present what they knew about the Salvos, then shared a sentence summary of our history, as well as a bit more information about Healesville Salvos' history. In prep I was doing some riffling through our filing cabinet, and I found a copy of the deed to our land, from 1921, with James Hay's signature on it! It has the land on the corner of Harker St & Castella St. Now...Castella St doesn't exist now - it's known as Maroondah Highway! It's also interesting to note that 'Nicholson Street' is actually the local name for Maroondah Highway as it passes through town. There's a new push for businesses to use Nicholson instead of Maroondah Highway, recreating ownership of the town. Anyway, I digress...

Thank you to Joanne Tate, President, for the invite to share tonight - it was good! And let me also say that the plate of food was amazing! Again, the local produce makes life tough here!

Celebrating 3rd birthdays...

Tonight was Dinner at Darron's third birthday. Dinner at Darron's is Healesville's weekly community meal. It was a great tea - chicken schnitzels, with scallop potatoes, as well as a mud chocolate birthday cake!

To help in the festivities, Cr Jeanette McRae shouted everyone a trip to the movies - Healesville style! So we all went to Memorial Hall and watched Get Smart.

Happy birthday to Dinner at Darron's! While I've only known you for the past 10 months - it's been fun being part of the dinner, from saying grace each week, to setting up, and even finding accommodation for homeless people who turn up at the meal. May the meal continue to make a difference to the lives of people in Healesville!

Café Church with Mooroolbark Songsters

This morning was Café Church, with special guests Mooroolbark Songsters. It was so good to have 47 people in the building, cramming around the café tables enjoying food, drinks and each other's company. Brian Hogg put together an excellent collection of songs, with time spent reflecting on some bible passages and exploring what they mean to us. It was good to have someone walk in off the street and stay for church!

It has been an absolutely beautiful day here in the 'ville! Spent a long lunch with friends, followed by a fresh icecream and listening to a band play at Beechworth Bakery's second birthday. Again…another 'hard' day in Healesville! This week will be busy, with regular activities returning, including mainly music, CRE, breakfast program at the high school, and my study. I have an assignment due this week, so will be deep in study. Should be fun.

Volunteer with us!!!

We now have several volunteer positions advertised on the Salvo's website!

Visit www.salvationarmy.org.au/volunteer and check out the opportunities. Perhaps there is someone you know who could help us out.

The Salvos have a good volunteer management system, and after entering all our volunteers into the system, we can now keep track of them much easier.

News wrap

Here's what made the news this week...that's ealier this week - just a little late in posting!

• Hoons from the Yarra Ranges could have their speeding footage released on YouTube by the police! Interesting concept, not too sure how it would help though - don't most people laugh at YouTube clips - especially 'Beached bro'! (Leader, 29 Sept, page 1).
• 400 shire residents are in court because of rate defaulting. The shire has one of the highest number of rate defaulters appearing in court across Melbourne. This number is down from 534 the previous year. However, as there are 143,000 people in the shire, this is not one of the worst rates (compared with residents). (Leader, 29 Sept, page 11)
• A vibrant paiting painted by young people at the Shire's Winter Sleepout was presented to Anchor Community Care. I went to this sleepout....24 hours without sleep makes me very tired! (Mail, 30 Sept, page 5)
• The Beechworth Bakery Healesville is turning 2! And to celebrate you can buy on beesting and get a second one for 5c!!! Might have to go check it out tomorrow...

HICCI AGM

On Sunday night over 100 people crammed into the Healesville hall!!! So...our stats for Sunday night meetings currently averages over 100...(you can make stats work in your favour if you don't tell the whole story!).

It was a fantastic night on Sunday. With the usual AGM business over, we heard from Major David Eldridge, who shared openly and passionately about why we help the disadvantaged.

It was great to have the contemporary band from Mooroolbark come and add to the night. We received lots of positive feedback about the 'choir' (does a choir have more than three people!).

So, after what was a crazy week last week, it was good to have Sunday night go so well.

This week is a bit more quiet...so keeping a low profile and getting some cleaning up done! I'm also working in the shop this week, as our manager is on holidays. This is good, because it's giving me a different perspective on how the shop works.

Off to catch up with friends who are attending ACC tomorrow. Will be great to see them again.