University of the Third Age - U3A Sunshine Coast
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University of the Third Age
SUNSHINE COAST | OCTOBER 2020
“You can join U3A and
do something interesting,
find people who are like-
minded and make friends
for life. To me, that is the
real strength of U3A.”
them out. We may role-play meeting
someone for the first time, having
to ask questions about them in
their language, so people have to
act a bit, which is close to real life
situations.
Four classes, with about 90
participants, continue to be
successful, from beginner level right
Patricia Barry - Life Member
through to fluent level. “Firstly, I had
a class of beginners and they said
‘can we go on, so we progressed
to higher levels. Some people in the
French language Tutor and Lifesaver Trainer class have been there for nine or ten
years. I think it’s the conversation
One of our newest Life Members, had my first trip to France when I and the comradeship that keeps
Patricia Barry, has combined a was thirteen, travelling on my own. people coming back – and the
love of language with a lifelong Times were different back then.” friendships formed within the group.
contribution to the lifesaving Patricia taught a range of subjects “Some people really wanted to
movement – and she has been in Brisbane at Primary and visit France but never had anyone to
recognised for her community work Secondary school level for many travel with, so they organised small
with a nomination last year as Senior years and then became involved groups to go to France on holiday,
Citizen of the Year. in U3A in 2008 after moving to the which they really enjoyed.”
Since arriving in Australia from Sunshine Coast. Patricia’s nomination for Senior
England in 1981 with her husband “A friend of mine suggested I join Citizen of the Year recognised her
Tony, Patricia has been involved U3A, so I investigated and found community work in training lifesavers
in community service. Working there was an advanced course run in resuscitation, how to use a
in Brisbane initially, the Barrys by a Belgian gentleman, Guy Spilers, defibrillator, first aid and safety in the
continued their involvement in who later suggested I become a water aspects. “We also go out to
lifesaving – and 40 years later they tutor in French, which I did. I still not-for-profit groups, such as U3A
are still patrolling on Bulcock Beach, teach courses at the beginner and groups for example, and run courses
Caloundra. advanced level, which was nice for free of charge,” Patricia said.
Surprisingly, Patricia confesses me as I was really missing teaching.” Patricia holds U3A in high regard
to be an aqua phobic person. “People say to me: ‘oh, older as an organisation supporting older
“I only learned to swim with the people don’t learn as quickly, which Australians. “I think U3A is a brilliant
encouragement of my husband,” I think is rubbish. It’s an urban myth, organisation as there is a huge
Patricia said. “When my kids were as our pursuit of learning is the same range of activities that people can
learning to swim I joined in, as I was as for younger people and everyone enjoy, especially if you come up to
determined that they would not be learns at their own pace. I see the Coast and you may be lonely, a
like me, avoiding the water.” people in U3A grow in confidence as ‘newbie’. You can join U3A and do
Patricia’s other pursuit in life has they pursue new things. something interesting, find people
been teaching the French language. “Key to learning a language, for who are like-minded and make
“I have always spoken French from a example, is getting people to work friends for life. To me, that is the
young age, having been schooled at together. We do a lot of small strength of U3A, and you can keep
a convent in England run by French group and partner work within the yourself active, learn new things and
nuns who were excellent teachers. I class, we do a lot of role play, and generally enjoy the later stage of life.”
also had a pen friend in France and for some people that really brings Continued on page 3:
WHAT’S HAPPENING Volunteers needed to join our
Communication Team:
Do you enjoy meeting new people,
PRESIDENT GLYNI CUMMING’S OCTOBER finding out what they have on
offer for our U3A or following up
MESSAGE TO U3A-SC MEMBERS news stories? We are looking for a
couple of journalists to assist our
It’s countdown now until the up or take down in your class. Even Facebook and e-Voice editors. You
end of an extraordinary year. the most hard-working tutor doesn’t don’t have to be a brilliant writer as
Congratulations to everyone for want to be left to do the job all by your copy will be sub-edited by the
keeping up their good spirits and themselves at the end of a lecture or editors, but you will follow up leads,
let’s hope we can stay safe in the meeting or game. ask questions, take notes, and
New Year. While we are wrapping up snap photos. Interested? Contact
Date Claimer: Annual Tutors &
this year’s activities, we are already our Communication Officer John
Volunteers Luncheon Saturday
forward planning for 2021, so we Armstrong at: communication@
November 28th:
include several date claimers. Enjoy u3asunshine.org.au
Our next calendar event will be
a good read! Our relationship with Retirement
the Annual Tutors & Volunteers
A Formal Welcome to our Office Complexes on the Coast?
Luncheon, our way of thanking
Coordinator and Project Officer: those people whose efforts keep According to Google, there are
At our October Management our organization running, and now 126 Retirement Living and
Committee meeting, we welcomed this is an event especially worth Retirement Villages on the Sunshine
our Office Coordinator, Jennifer celebrating after such a challenging Coast. Many of our members
Strike and our Project Officer, year. Apart from several specially are living very happily in these
Karen Martin and presented them invited guests, who have achieved complexes, and we are fortunate to
with their new name badges. Both 25 years of membership in 2020, have access to some as venues for
Jennifer and Karen have taken their all our Tutors, Lecturers, and our activities. Indeed, our Strategic
new titles in their stride, drawing on Volunteers from every area, will be Plan calls for us to ‘develop and
their business experience to provide receiving an invitation soon, via maintain relationships with village
sterling voluntary service. email or post. We look forward to owners/retirement village managers
welcoming you at Kawana Surf Club and initiate learning and social
World Pickleball a success!
from noon Saturday November 28. opportunities.’
Congratulations to the Pickleball
So what do your retirement
tutors who organized a well- Date Claimer: U3A Sunshine
complexes have to offer you? And
attended and interesting welcome Coast Open Day 2021:
how can U3A Sunshine Coast link in
day on October 10th, with new All returning Tutors and any Tutors to their activities or could they link
players trying their hand at the offering new courses in Semester in to U3A Sunshine Coast? In other
world’s fastest growing sport. Our 1 2021 are invited to book a stall words, what can we do for each
Treasurer Evonne Walker, who site, before the end of term, and other? Issues like this will become
distributed freshly printed U3A preferably by the end of November part of the discussion when we
promotional flyers, said, “The day so they can show off their course at reschedule our Covid-cancelled
was very well run, friendly and lively. our annual Open Day, scheduled for Strategic Plan Review early in 2021.
It made you want to join!” which it Saturday January 9th 2021 at the If you are interested in participating
did, with about 20 new members USC Innovation Centre. in the Review discussion, please ask
signing up. Copies of our updated Members the office for a copy of our Strategic
Fascinating Lectures Continue Booklet will be made available Objectives: u3aoffice@u3asunshine.
Lectures at Mudjimba by Gwynn for new members signing up on org.au
Jarrott on Kazakhstan “On the the day. Members renewing their
Long term Date Claimer: I Age
Silk Roads we found gold (and membership can also ask for a copy
Well Expo 2021:
bronze)” were totally impressive. from the office.
Organiser Tanya Dave will be
Gwynn’s lecture continued with the New courses planned for 2021:
making up for this year’s lost
exploration of the Silk Roads, with Wayne Curran, our Tutor & Course opportunity by booking the
the intriguing title, ‘Mongolia – in Coordinator, has the knack of Nambour Show-grounds for Sunday
search of eagles and dragons’. finding new and interesting courses August 5th 2021, and U3A will be
Lending a Helping Hand: to keep our organisation alive and given an entire hall to use, from
Of notice this last semester is how fresh and we are already in planning 8.30am to 3 pm!
much care our tutors take of us, for 2021, when we can look forward What an opportunity to showcase
and our equipment, especially to new opportunities for learning. our wonderful organisation to
now when we must take extra care Marie Farr, visual artist and a the wider public – and plenty of
to avoid any potential spread of former teaching colleague from the advance notice to think about
Corona Virus. Setting up tables and Capricorn Coast, is now a volunteer performances from our tap dancers,
chairs, then cleaning and taking tour guide with the Queensland ukulele bands, and choirs...
everything down again is a big job; Gallery of Modern Art.
Kind regards to all,
however, it’s made much easier Marie will be leading an intriguing
when everyone helps. fortnightly discussion group entitled
Please take the time to help set “Art is for All”.
PATRICIA BARRY
LIFE MEMBER U3A-SC
Continued from page 1:
Like a lot of their contemporaries,
Patricia and Tony travelled
extensively before the Covid
pandemic hit.
“We belonged to Friendship
Force and that was good
because we hosted people
here and in turn were hosted by
people overseas. We had some
wonderful experiences such as
a great holiday in Peru and we
OUR WORLD PICKLEBALL DAY went to Ghana, Azerbaijan and
Georgia… really interesting places
staying with lovely families, which
HAILED AS A GREAT SUCCESS made a real difference.”
Patricia was pleasantly
As part of World Pickleball Day, wishing to play the game,” Jill said. surprised to be nominated for
the U3A Pickleball Group at Pickleball, a game for all ages, is Life Membership, saying “it was
Caloundra staged a very successful a mixture of tennis, badminton and lovely that they thought so highly
introduction day at Caloundra table tennis. of me to do that.”
Stadium. Organisers, Peter and Jill For more information on joining the The expansion of U3A on the
Campbell said 51 people attended fastest growing sport amongst older Sunshine Coast seems inevitable
the first session and 48 to the Australians, please visit the U3A and Patricia is a strong advocate
second, for a total of 99 newbies. website here. for “a place to call home”. “I
“We have had numerous text, Photo: Peter and Jill Campbell at know they were looking for a
phone calls and emails with people Caloundra Stadium. place here in Caloundra, as this
end of the Coast is going to be
a growth area for membership,”
Patricia said.
“I know it’s a big project but I
see it as a dream thing.”
Zoom classes online have
become the norm for the French
classes. “I think our members
have adapted really well, as a lot
of them aren’t technically minded
or internet experienced,” Patricia
said
“However, I do have a website
where I post the lessons online
so they can download the
lessons and see what people did
CALOUNDRA PICKLEBALL TEAM and catch up.”
Patricia is happy to continue
SCORES GOLD IN BRISBANE on with U3A French language
courses and the demand is
certainly there, with a huge
Caloundra U3A Pickleball Group is the capability of playing up to 16 demand pre-Covid 19 particularly
letting the Brisbane Pickleball players courts at any one time, with two for beginners. “We could do
know they are now a force to be raised viewing platforms. This has with more tutors as there aren’t
reckoned with, having won Gold at been made possible through the enough at present,” she said.
the recent Brisbane Pickleball Open assistance of the Stadium Manager, “I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve
Competition. Mary Daisley, Carol Steve Gurr. had with U3A, as it has given me
Sadler and Ken Solomons won Gold Twelve months ago the Group a lot of pleasure from teaching
Medals while Helen Homann and started with 25 members and now French, meeting other people,
Gael Ferguson won Silver. Sandee numbers 135, playing 12 courts seeing them realise their quest to
Leslie played well, but came up Tuesday and Thursday mornings learn the French language, and
against some stiff opposition. between 9am and 11am. Coffee and I’ve made a lot of friends along
The team also made everyone a social chat after the games is an the way.
aware that Caloundra Stadium has added bonus.
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS
REQUIRED BY UNIVERSITY
In conjunction with the University of As a thank you for your time,
the Sunshine Coast a research team participants may choose to receive a
led by Caroline Lamb is undertaking FREE dietetic consultation.
a study to investigate the relationship If the second survey is completed,
between nutrition knowledge, dietary participants will also receive a FREE
intake and physical activity among dietary assessment report.
active older Australians (65 years or For more information, or to
older). participate in this exciting research
This research is important to give study, pleasego to:
health care practitioners a better
understanding on where to target
http://bit.ly/GNKQ100
Ethics approval: S201466
BUSHWALKERS
future nutrition education and how to
improve dietary strategies for better
If you would like to contact the
researcher, Caroline Lamb, please
ENJOY EXPLORING
health outcomes for active older email her at cal026@student.usc. The U3A Bushwalking Group took
Australians. edu.au the Dalchara National Park walk
recently. John Oakhill, the group
guide, has taken hikers on walks
over the past two years. The
Dalchara walk took about three
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED hours. Prospective members
IS THIS YOU? with some walking experience
should be able to participate on
most walks. John usually decides
65 years or older where to walk each month and
the distance and fitness levels
are also provided beforehand.
Regularly exercising (at least The walks usually finishes with a
30mins/day, 2 days/week) coffee at the nearest café.
Further information for
Living independently in your own Bushwalking Group 20MIS109
home may be found on the U3A
website.The Group meets
monthly on Tuesdays.
Photo: Sue Bradshaw.
VENUES WANTED
U3A is on the lookout for halls or
rooms that we can use for our
If yes, you are invited to complete one or two 20-minute classes. This has become more of
online surveys. a priority since COVID-19 protocols
have meant restricting the number of
Participants can choose to receive a people in indoor settings. Therefore,
FREE dietetic consultation some of the venues are no longer
through the University of the Sunshine Coast Dietetic Clinic able to accommodate our classes. At
and upon completion of the second survey, a present we use a variety of premises
FREE dietary assessment report! such as church halls, council venues
and halls but we are always keen to
For more information, or to participate in this exciting research find out if there are further rooms
study, acess the webpage below. that could be utilised.
If any member is aware of a hall or
http://bit.ly/GNKQ100 room that is available and could be
used to hold some of our activities
or scan the QR code or classes, would you please
contact Dawne Clark dawnehclark@
yahoo.com.au or Wayne Curran
waymaur1@bigpond.com and let
Ethics approval number: S201466 Contact: cal026@student.usc.edu.au them know any relevant details about
the venue.You can also read
