Newsletter, April 2009

Events

2009 Springwood Foundation Day Parade on Saturday, April 4 from 9.00am to 4.00pm
We will have an Information Stall, again this year, at the Springwood Foundation Day Parade in Springwood. This parade will be held on Saturday, April 4 and runs from 9.00am to 4.00pm and is also a local celebration not to be missed. The stall will be located in position 105 adjacent to Springwood Railway Station in Macquarie Road. Once again, to enable us to provide a complete presence and promote our Organisation, we would appreciate any assistance in manning the stall throughout the day, for a 30 minute or 60 minute period to allow our other members to take a break. So please make an attempt to help out; If you can assist in this matter, please contact Tony Bayes on 4739 2661.

Movie & Supper Night on Saturday 25 April
John Morehead has a Movie & Supper Night each month in his home at 136 Jamison Road, Penrith. John was a projectionist at the local movie theatre in Penrith and still runs the old 16mm movies.
On Saturday 25 April, he will be showing The High And The Mighty starring John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Loraine Day, Robert Stack, Jan Sterling, Phil Harris, Robert Newton, David Brian and Paul Kelly. This is a 150 minutes Feature Film. John only asks for a voluntary donation to cover the cost of the refreshments.
U3A members and their guests will be welcome.

Emu Plains Neighbourhood Centre is holding a fun day on Saturday 2nd May.
I would like to ask anyone who does Tai Chi to come and join me as a group.  I would even like beginners to do up to where they are and just stop and let the others go on.  This offer is extended to the Fan group, the Staff group, the Tai Chi Practice group and if Marie Stewart and any of her Tai Chi groups would like to join in, or do their own thing.  It starts at 11am and their will be a Bar-B-Q and other fun activities on display. Christie Wood

Sausage Sizzle at BUNNINGS on Saturday 30 May 2009 from 9am to 3pm
We will be conducting a “sausage sizzle” at BUNNINGS WAREHOUSE, Penrith on Saturday 30 May 2009 from 9am to 3pm  to raise funds for the 2010 Conference fund and we are seeking some willing workers to donate one hour of their time in manning the BBQ and collecting monies from the patrons. The famous Bunnings Sausage Sizzle is enjoyed by thousands of Bunnings customers every weekend of the year, whilst also providing a valuable fundraising opportunity for local community groups. All of the funds raised are kept by the community group conducting the Sausage Sizzle.

U3A Bus Trip Wednesday 3 June 2009
First stop today will be Erina for a visit to St Fiacre Distillery. Take a deep breath at the front gate; relax your mind as we slip into a green and fragrant land. Morning tea will be served in the garden café. Afterwards enjoy a stroll in the gardens to take in the fragrance, and a tour of the distillery with a tasting of the Australian liqueurs. We then travel on to Wyong and the Strathavon Heritage Resort, a grand stately manor filled with atmosphere and history of a bygone era. Here we will partake in a 1930’s style luncheon menu, one of those yummy meals of yesteryear. We will also enjoy a “Skeletons in the Closet” family history presentation by a historian. Ever wondered about your family history? Discover who you really are! Today will be your chance to see what you can find out.
Cost for this most informative and interesting day out will be $55.00 per person. The coach will depart from Panthers at 8.00am. Full payment for this tour can be accepted at the office from Tuesday 28 April, 2009. (Commencement date of 2nd term). However the final date for payment, providing seats are not sold out, will be Friday 22 May, 2009.
COME ALONG WITH US AND ENJOY A GREAT DAY OUT

New Courses

Spanish for Beginners
We have a new “Spanish for Beginners” class on Mondays 10.00am to 11.00am at the Penrith School of Arts. New students are welcome. The tutor is Jose Mange 4727 1444.

Atlas of the Universe (Terms 2 & 3 only)
Tuesdays 10.00am to 12.00 noon commencing 28 April 2009
Penrith School of Arts (Room 1), 3 Castlereagh Street, Penrith
Contact: Anthony Bayes 4739 2661

Undertaking a Building Project
Mondays 11.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon commencing 27th April 2009
6 week’s duration – Penrith School of Arts (Room 1),
3 Castlereagh Street, Penrith
Michael Boyle – 4751 4229

What is Good Design?
Mondays 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. commencing 27th April, 2009
Penrith School of Arts (Room 1), 3 Castlereagh Street, Penrith
Michael Boyle – 4751 4229

Philosophy
Fridays, 9.30 a.m. to 10.45 a.m. commencing fortnightly
1st May, 2009, and Fridays 11.00 a.m. to 12.15 p.m.
Penrith School of Arts (Room 1),
3 Castlereagh Street, Penrith
Hedi Roggeveen – 4732 2978

General Information

VALE
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of one of our stalwart members and former Tutor, Hans Frank.
Hans passed away on Thursday 12 March 2009 at Buckland Aged Care Centre, Springwood and the funeral was conducted at Pine Grove on Monday 16 March 2009.
He will be remembered, with affection, by his many former students and U3A members for his unparalleled enthusiasm for his subject of European History. From all his friends at U3A.
Anthony Bayes

An Apology
In the information about Safe and Sustainable Gardening in an earlier U3A Newsletter, I gave Ruth Ley, one of the presenters, an incorrect title. I unfortunately thought I knew it, and did not check with her, a bad mistake on my part!
Ruth’s correct title is Builder Coordinator for Blue Mountains Home Modification and Maintenance Services, which is not part of the Department of the Ageing. I apologise for any misunderstanding arising from this error,
Elizabeth Mitchell

Books, Novels and Exercise Browsers available at the U3A office
We have books, novels and exercise browsers available at the U3A office, 3 Castlereagh Street, Penrith, available from $2.00 each. All proceeds go to the 2010 Conference fund. If you have any books that are gathering dust at home and you would like to donate them to this worthwhile cause, please contact the office on 4722 3405 and leave your name and address and we will contact you to arrange for delivery.

Basic Computer Course
The basic computer course is going well and our big news is that the Library training room will be available to us again from the start of term 2.
Unfortunately, I have been spoiled by an upgrade at the Community College, and we will have to leave behind some superb new Apple Macintosh equipment (all pretending to be Windows XP machines), a shiny new projector and neat new room layout. I will probably be able to drop in and have a look at the renovated Library facilities tomorrow, Tuesday – there is not yet a full complement of computers in there, but the few additional machines needed are “on their way”, so we should be fully ready to go at the library for term 2.
The Community College has a drawback, in that the use of “external” material is not permitted – on the strength of this policy, they have never had a virus attack, but as I package all my samples and materials on a CD, it has required me to ad-lib pretty heavily.
Rob Byrne

Tai Chi
Christie Wood will be continuing to run her Tai Chi classes during the 10th to 27th April holidays – excluding Public Holidays.

Practical Psychology for Relationships
"Practical psychology for relationships" is now listed as a U3A Online course. Chifley Chapter is credited as the platform for the development of this online course. 
Colin Bull.

Ballroom Dancing
Ballroom Dancing classes will continue during the 10th to 27th April holidays. Our Dancing Tutor, Allan Bond is willing to organise Ballroom Dances for U3A Members on Wednesday Evenings once or twice a month. If you are interested in attending Wednesday Evening Ballroom Dances, please contact Alan Lees alanlees@y7mail.com or leave a message for Alan Lees at the U3A Office 4722 3405.
Unfortunately, Allan Bond will be having knee surgery at the end of May and it will be a couple of months before he can resume tutoring his Ballroom Dancing classes.

Photography Classes
Two photography classes had successful excursions, one to Manly and one to the Zoo. All and sundry had a good time.
Petr Malek.

Current Events Class at Blackheath
The Current Events class at Blackheath is going well. Finished up with 28 enrolled. Average attendance 16. My concern that such a number might prove unwieldy was unnecessary--working out quite ok  According to my diary next term starts April 27.  I will  start the term on Wednesday April 29 --2.45pm to 4.15 pm --and every second Wednesday thereafter.
Some attendees were confused a tad in finding the BANC rooms – as distinct from the Community Centre.

Conversations in French at Blackheath
The U3A "Conversations in French" group will meet in Term 2 on Thursdays 2.00 - 3.30 at BANC in Blackheath: time and place as usual, no change.  We are all enjoying our conversations.
Jane Zemiro

Spanish at Blackheath
My course is going to be put on hold because I need to travel.  I have told my students and we will resume when I get back in early June.  Then we will continue until the end of the last school term.
Julieta Janzen

English Literature
My English Literature class is going along just as always.  Sometimes I wonder why people come, but they do and seem to enjoy it which is what they are supposed to do.
Marie Standen

Bonsai
The Bonsai class at Penrith School of Arts will now be at 9.30am to 11.00am on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month during each U3A term.
Jim Tiberi

Fairisle Jumper or Sleeveless Pullover required for Play
Our very honorable Honorary Treasurer, Linda Sinclair, wishes to borrow for a few weeks a Fairisle Jumper or Sleeveless Pullover for a Woody Allen Play that she is starring in. Would anyone willing to lend our very trustworthy Treasurer a Fairisle Jumper or Sleeveless Pullover for this worthy cause please contact Linda on 4739 2297 or maxlin@hermes.net.au

Beginners and Conversational German
Both German language groups, Beginners and Conversational German, are progressing well.  We miss Ursula Zdenkowski in Conversation but will see her at our class picnic, at Tench Reserve, on Monday 30 March.  Perhaps the attached would amuse readers. 
John Clarke

Read slowly and carefully...
The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.
As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5-year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy.
The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f". This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.
Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.
Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.
By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".
During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer , ve vil hav a reil sensi bl riten styl.
Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi TU understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.
Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.
If zis mad you smil, pas on to oza pepl.

Walking with a Touch of History in April
Details of all Walks for Term 2 are shown elsewhere on this website. CLICK HERE to see them.

Committee News

Office Computer on Broadband and New Email Address
Thanks to Jim Tiberi, who was Acting Curriculum Convener last month, we now have Broadband on our Office Computer. This means that the Internet works much faster and we can use the telephone at the same time as someone is on the Internet sending or reading emails. It used to take two hours to send out 500 Email Newsletters on the old Dial-up system. I will let you know next month how long it takes to send out this Email Newsletter. However, we now have a new email address: u3anepoff@optusnet.com.au
Remember and send us an email if you change your email address because faulty email addresses slows the whole process down enormously.

Data Projector and Screen
Jim Tiberi also purchased a Data Projector and Screen. Jim will be using the data projector and screen with his Laptop computer for his “Bonsai” and “Italian Language for Seniors” classes.
Other tutors are encouraged to use this equipment after taking a short course of instruction in how to use it.

The 2009 U3A State Conference at Orange
This week saw three of our Executive committee members travel to Orange for the U3A State Conference.
Reg Grace (President), Brenda Emerson (Secretary) and Tony Bayes (Publicity Officer) enjoyed a pleasant couple of days at the well run conference held at the Orange Ex Servicemen’s Club. 
  This was a very interesting experience, meeting other U3A members, finding out how they run their branches, what problems, and solutions they had encountered. 
The conference was well attended by some 150 U3A members from all over NSW and interstate as well.  On the second day of the conference, the Annual General Meeting for the State body was held, with Reg Grace participating in the discussions and was our voting member.
  Tony Bayes made a presentation to the conference delegates of the CD/DVD he had prepared, showing what Penrith had to offer and informing the delegates about our Conference.  This presentation was very well received, with a resounding applause.
  This conference gave our Executive members an idea of what will be required in March 2010, when it will be our turn to hold the NSW State Conference. 

Respect for Other U3A Members
Please show respect for other U3A Members:
Try and finish your class on time if there is another class waiting to use your room or equipment.
Be patient if the class before you is running late – do not barge in and start setting up your equipment.
If you have to walk through a room or hall being used by a class, be discreet and walk quietly around the class – not right through the middle of it.
Remember we are all here to enjoy ourselves with the minimum of fuss.

Newsletters
The closing date for submissions to the monthly Email Newsletter is one week before the end of each month. However, if you miss the date, your submission will go in the following month’s newsletter – if I remember. Submissions should be sent to the Office – Attention Curriculum Convener or preferably emailed to alanlees@y7mail.com

Next Committee Meeting
The next Committee Meeting will be held at the Penrith School of Arts at 1.30pm on Tuesday 14 April, 2009.

Disclaimer – Articles contributed to this Newsletter and published as a service to members; do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of this association. Articles are intended as opinions and items of debate only and should not be acted on without expert advice