In July Snippets, catch-up on the latest news from the Table Tennis team; learn about Days for Girls; check out volunteering opportunities for MRI research, a new Repair Café and Eastern Health and there’s extra cash to earn as a Crossing Supervisor.
Table Tennis winter update
By Colin Smith, class leader
It’s been cold, cold, not forgetting the extra cold days we have endured this year, oh and don’t forget the wet bits! Just the sort of weather to stay inside in the warm. However, that’s not for the hardy stalwarts in the table tennis class who keep coming along to thrash those little white balls out at Kilsyth Stadium every Tuesday morning. Class member and ace photographer Albert Tay has again caught the action and also something very rarely seen at table tennis – an empty table or two without players! See the photo gallery here.
To coin a phrase from TV its “Simples”. They were in the smoko room enjoying a cuppa, bikkies, and a chat, plus I suspect the heater was on. Good to see everybody wearing their identity badges as well. We play for over 45 weeks each year, so if you fancy something a bit energetic come down and join us. We can cater for all ages and experience and have equipment to borrow, you never know you might enjoy it.
Days for Girls visit
By Meryl McEwan and Leonie Clyne, class leaders
On the last Thursday of term, the Patchwork 2 and the Needlework group had a light lunch and welcomed Anna Burley from the Doncaster chapter of Days for Girls. Anna told us this program helps to enable girls to be in school full-time instead of being isolated during their periods and has volunteers world-wide working to increase access to menstrual products and vital health information for women and girls.
The Doncaster chapter is a key part of Days for Girls International’s mission to shatter the stigma and limitations associated with menstruation for improved health, education, and livelihoods. They meet regularly to sew dilly bags and kits for the program and welcomed fabric donations from our group – all pure cotton. Anna explained that some fabrics (those with animals, insects, faces and eyes) could not be used as the kits need to be culturally sensitive. Dark or highly patterned bright fabrics are preferred and should be pre-washed. All U3A members who attended were inspired and went away with a new understanding of the difficulties girls and women face in developing countries.
For more details about the Doncaster chapter of Days for Girls and volunteering, email
or phone 0403 176 201.
Volunteers needed for MRI research
Monash University has a new piece of tech called a Point-of-Care MRI, which is essentially an MRI on wheels which can be transported to where it is needed. This has the potential to make a big difference to people who live in remote communities and lack access to MRIs, which are generally located in larger hospitals. However, due to its low magnetic field, the portable MRI has inferior image quality compared to traditional hospital MRIs. Monash University’s project is using AI machine learning to improve the image quality of the Point-of-Care MRI.
They are looking for participants aged 60-79 to undergo two brain scans in a single 1.5-hour visit: 1 x regular MRI and 1x Point-of Care MRI. You can read the brochure, the explanatory statement and the Screening and Information Form. For more details email
Share your repair skills
healthAbility is opening a new Repair Café at Strathdon House, Forest Hill in August 2023. You can be part of the team that helps to reduce waste, reuse, and upcycle items as a volunteer Repair Café Repairer!
Each year, tons of household items end up in landfill simply because they were broken. Repair Cafés try and fix broken items so they can continue to be used for years to come and repairers are volunteers who use their particular skills and experience to try and fix broken household items. Where possible repairers will demonstrate how the broken item can be repaired and in doing so, share some basic repair skills.
For the full list of skills required, please email Stewart Blair, Manager Repair Café or for more information go to https://healthability.org.au/join-us/volunteers-and-student-placement/
Volunteers needed for Eastern Health
Eastern Health is looking to the community to increase its volunteer task force. With a diversity of volunteer roles, they would provide support that makes a real difference to patients, their families/carers, and staff.
Services are provided at Box Hill Hospital, Angliss Hospital, Blackburn Public Surgical Centre, Maroondah Hospital, Healesville Hospital and Yarra Valley Health, Peter James Centre, Wantirna Health, and Murrenda Residential Aged Care Home amongst others. For more details email: or go to the Eastern Health volunteers page https://www.easternhealth.org.au/about-us/volunteers
Want to earn extra cash?
Whitehorse City Council regularly recruit School Crossing Supervisors to help school children and pedestrians to cross the road safely. For more details Ph: 9262 6333, email: or view the job description: School Crossing Supervisor – Whitehorse Careers