LSS Newsletter – May 2020 Page 1

Launceston School for Seniors

Patron: The Honourable Don Wing A.M. 8 High Street, Launceston | PO Box 903, Launceston, 7250 (03) 6334 4007 | www.lss.org.au | @ secretary@lss.org.au

Chairman: Trevor Curtis-Flynn | Vice-Chairman: John Husband Secretary: Beverley White | Treasurer: Carmel Coombs

Editor: Penny Garnsworthy

From the Chairman This is the third in a series of special Newsletters to keep you informed of what is happening with your School, in light of the Coronavirus pandemic that is unfortunately sweeping the world.

Your LSS Committee has decided to not go ahead with Term 2 as planned but, subject to Department of Health advice, to begin Term 3 Classes on Monday 28 September. At this stage, we do not anticipate a change to the planned finish to classes on Monday 7 December.

Please be aware that things will change, and we must adhere to the rules in place at that time. We are still working through what form our Registration Day, limited classes and payment system will take. Please be prepared for a possible reduction in available classes and a reduction in class sizes to fit with the distancing requirements in place at that time.

Some classes may continue in venues other than 8 High Street and possibly in a different format, and times/days/rooms may have to be changed. Be prepared for no more LSS provided tea/coffee/milk/sugar/biscuits/cups for the foreseeable future, however feel free to bring your own drinks/cups if you wish, bearing in mind that at this stage, you will not be able to socialise in the common areas – I’m sure you can understand the reasons for this.

Now the good news! You will be pleased to know that LSS has applied for ‘Job Keeper’ to secure Vicki’s employment up until our planned resumption at the end of September. And we have set the date for our deferred AGM – Tuesday 14 July (see over). I urge you to think seriously about joining the committee in steering LSS into a vastly different future than what we anticipated only a few months ago. We are always on the lookout for newer/younger ideas and your input on the new Committee will be most welcome.

Some of you may query the need to pay for your Term 3 membership after missing out on most of Term 1 and all of Term 2. LSS will have no income at all from Term 2 registrations and we have ongoing costs year round whether we are conducting classes or not, i.e. Vicki’s wages, telephone, photocopying, stationery, rental, UMAS costs, etc., as well as producing and posting our monthly Newsletter. We do appreciate your help in allowing us to pay our dues in these difficult times.

Your Committee has continued to work hard on your behalf and is still meeting regularly, albeit by ‘Zoom’ – and our last meeting was quite successful!

May 2020

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My hope is for LSS to not only survive, but to thrive into 2021 and beyond – and your support is vital. Please visit the website Launceston School for Seniors to keep an eye on any further developments under ‘Breaking News’.

I know how much some, if not all of you, rely on LSS to fill a void in your lives. We sympathise, but our major concern is the health and welfare of you, our members. So, roll on September!

If you need to contact us in the meantime, please email LSS Office or telephone 6334 4007. If Vicki is not there just leave a message.

Stay tuned for updates, and stay safe until we meet again! Trevor Curtis-Flynn

Chairman

LSS Annual General Meeting

Date: Tuesday 14 July 2020 Time: 10.30am Venue: Elderly Citizen’s Club Room, 16 Landale Street, Invermay

This venue can easily accommodate social distancing measures, so we hope many of you will be able to join us. LSS needs a strong, forwarding-thinking, hard-working committee with ideas to take us into the future.

If you have an interest in helping progress the school and think you can make a difference, please consider nominating for a position via the form attached to this newsletter.

LSS Bus Tour to King Island - 8 February 2021

Thank you, fellow students, for your response to this trip. At the time of writing (6 May) we have 31 paid deposits. We’ve done our share to get the show on the road, now it’s up to Corona to cooperate.

I will be contacting many of you (if I haven’t already) regarding singles and twins. I assume the same surnames will be doubles. I also assume Jo Franklin will let me know when further payments are due to cover payments needed for accommodation, tours, further airfares, whatever.

I am really looking forward to revisiting this Island. I was over there for work several times in the 70s and 80s and once with a tour group in the 90s - so much will have changed and everyone I knew will have retired.

Anyone with questions about our travels please phone me and if I don’t know the answer I will find out. If I don’t answer, ring again!

Happy travelling! Alan Jones – 6344 3330

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News from the Science Class

Hello to my Science Class. I hope you are all staying safe.

It is a very different lifestyle we have had put upon us, but I have been planning for whenever we can resume at High Street. I expect you are champing at the bit to get back and I surmise that our resumption, when it resumes, will be quite a change from ‘normal’ as we re-assimilate back into our programs.

As I reach out to guest speakers for Science I am finding we will need to expect a different format, with speakers meeting by remote. This means two things:

1. Our usual expectations will differ in that these guests will be presenting via the internet in our room 2.

2. This also gives us more scope to scour further for local speakers.

I have had a few commitments from within and outside our normal ambit. We also have some offers of assistance from UTAS to integrate with their campus. While these aspirations are still a bit up in the air until we get back to some normality, we can rest assured our committee is eager to get us back to High Street in September. Meanwhile, stay safe and healthy. And remember, I am only a phone call away.

Bob Sievers, your Science tutor

National Volunteer Week is an annual celebration that acknowledges the generous contribution of 6 million Australians who volunteer their time. Usually, events are held around Australia during this week, but this year things are different.

Volunteering Tasmania is providing three on-line broadcasts that you are invited to ‘attend’.

1. Geoff Mulgan, Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation from the University College, London. Geoff will speak on the current COVID environment and the intrinsic strength of volunteering in shaping a stronger civil society in Australia, post-COVID.

2. Craig Foster, former Socceroo’s Captain and sports analyst for SBS will speak on Changing Communities, changing lives; re-imagining volunteering in dynamic times.

3. Tea with Jam and Clare is a lively conversation between Jamila Rizvi and Clare Bowditch who will share the journey of their love of volunteers, favourite memories and experiences – topped off with celebratory song and dance!

To connect, just go to: Volunteering Tasmania.

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Calling all Cooks, Cultivators and Crafters!

In October this year, Longford Show Society plans to hold the 164th

Longford Show. The Home Industries section is now putting out a call for anyone interested in entering, so if you have ever thought about it, or even if you haven’t, here’s your chance.

Our current self-isolation gives us all the opportunity to start preparing entries for this year’s show, so please take a look at the schedule as there are lots of exciting categories. Remember, exhibiting at the show is not about winning, it’s about contributing to the local community. You don’t have to be an expert; you just have to give it a go.

Do you have a talent for growing vegetables, herbs or flowers? Can you bake scones, a sponge, tea cake, fruit cake or biscuits? Do you love to decorate cakes for birthdays or weddings?

What about painting or drawing or taking photographs? The Show has opportunities for crafters in knitting, crochet, embroidery, machine embroidery, smocking, cross stich, patchwork and quilting; and in paper crafts like card making and scrapbooking.

If you like woodworking they’d love to see your tables and chairs, carved bowls and toys like trucks and even rocking horses. Perhaps you have a knack for furniture restoration or stained glass, folk art or mosaics. The possibilities are endless.

Entries are only $1.00 and entry fees can now be paid by direct deposit via the Longford Show website. And in the event the show does not go ahead, because of COVID-19 restrictions, just think how much you will have accomplished.

This year’s Home Industries Schedule is available to download from the Longford Show website. And if you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact the Home Industries Secretary Kimbra Farrell.

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Just for Fun!

The world has turned upside down. Old folks are sneaking out of the house, and their kids are yelling at them to stay indoors!

I need to practice social distancing from the refrigerator. I swear my fridge just said, ‘What, you again?’

This morning I saw a neighbour talking to her cat. It was obvious she thought her cat understood her. I came into my house and told my dog... we laughed a lot.

Home-schooling is going well: two students suspended for fighting and one teacher fired for drinking on the job.

I don’t think anyone expected that when we changed the clocks, we’d go from the Daylight-Saving Zone to the Twilight Zone.

I’m so excited - it’s time to take out the garbage. What should I wear?

Classified Advertisement: Single man with toilet paper seeks woman with hand sanitizer for good clean fun.

Farm Equipment Small Dogs

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Just for Fun! (cont’d)

This virus has done what no woman has been able to do... cancel all sports, shut down all bars, and keep men at home!

Since we can’t eat out, now’s the perfect time to eat better, get fit, and stay healthy. We’re quarantined! Who are we trying to impress? We have snacks, we have trackpants - I say we use them!

Day 9 at home and the dog is looking at me like, ‘See? This is why I chew the furniture!’

I never thought the comment, I wouldn't touch them with a six-foot pole would become a national policy, but here we are.

Easy Medium

Hard Very Hard

LSS Newsletter – May 2020 Page 7

Just for Fun! (cont’d)

Are you on Email?

With so many of our members now on email, we can communicate with you more regularly. It also saves us time and money! And as the COVID-19 crisis continues we are issuing a newsletter every month to keep you updated, and to let you know we’re still here!

However, as the new LSS database system is still rolling out, we may have inadvertently missed an email address here and there. So, if you have received this newsletter in the post, and you have an email address, we’d love you to provide it to us so we can ensure all our members receive our communications. All you need to do is email the LSS Office with your details. Thanks!

Who’s on Your Committee?

LSS Committee members are tutors and students too, and we are here to help!

Anne Berechree 0438 574 586 Ian Kershaw 0418 139 572 Ghail Briggs 6327 2917 Tina Pinkard 6331 5149 Kath Curtis-Flynn 0419 449 884 Bob Sievers 6344 4787 Mick Farrell 0439 110 513 Liza Snow 0420 501 562 Penny Garnsworthy 0438 517 987 Philip Whitehead 6328 1365 Alan Jones 6344 3330

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LAUNCESTON SCHOOL FOR SENIORS Inc. Committee Nomination Form for AGM 14 July 2020

I hereby nominate:

for the office of:

1. Chairman 2. Vice-Chairman 3. Treasurer

4. Secretary 5. Committee Member (11)

Nominated by:

Seconded by:

I accept this nomination:

Signature: Date: ……./……./…….

Nominations should be forwarded to:

Public Officer Mr John Husband

Launceston School for Seniors PO Box 903

LAUNCESTON TAS 7250 Notes:

1. Nominees, their nominators and seconders must be registered financial members of The Launceston School for Seniors Inc. for the current 2020 year – or they will be declared invalid.

2. Envelopes incorrectly addressed or containing insufficient postage will be refused.

If you have not previously been a committee member, please provide a description of why you would like to be on the committee and what you can contribute: