Monday 25 February 2013

HOPE FOR THE NEW YEAR




Pot Luck Tea at DCLC *
Two weeks ago we had a Pot Luck Tea at the Dunedin Community Learning Centre.  During the meal it was lovely to see the warm contact between staff and students, with lots of laughter and jokes.   In this amazingly respectful atmosphere class mates and their parents/caregivers heard about plans to keep the Learning Centre going.  Trudy Scott told us about the Dunedin Community Learning Centre Charitable Trust which has been registered and which can be viewed online.
  
Trudy said that Step 1will be to apply to The Lotteries Community Board for Interim Funding which will allow the Centre to keep functioning while other avenues of funding will be explored. 

In the meantime Trudy and several Board members are working to divide the names and addresses of Funding Trusts they can apply to.  Board members are also keen to find out what individual funding might be available for the participants in the class.

During the evening we listened to an inspiring talk by Helen and Kevin Geddes about their journey in securing Individual Funding for Kevin's education.  It was very special to see Kevin working on the computer using a computer programme developed by his father.

Trudy ended her talk by referring to my article in the ODT.  Earlier this year she commented on my blog (26 November 2012) about the closure of DCLC and wondered how we could get more people to read this.  Her words encouraged me to send it to the Otago Daily Times and it was published as an Opinion piece on Friday 8 February 2013.   Trudy wrote the following in an Update for Parents and Caregivers:

"On the Good News front, the photo of April and Teresa in the ODT in September, prompted some interest and a generous donation which is already in the Trust's Bank Account.  Huberta' s article last week has prompted 2 more generous donations and last night prompted another.  Huberta finished her article by saying that we are hoping for a miracle.  I believe the miracle has begun."

Oh, yes, Trudy!  We will keep believing in miracles.  It is already a miracle that Trudy and her staff have contracts for continuing their work this year and that they have lots of positive plans including the sale of fish fertiliser liquid.  Watch this space!

GO WELL, YOU WONDER WOMEN!  And, of course, the same wishes apply to the Trust Board!


* Look at the filled shelves with work made by the people at DCLC.  Once a year they exhibit and sell their craft in the Dunedin Gallery.  Let's hope it will happen again in 2013.



 




 




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