U3A Ararat will resume its activities for the new year on Monday, February 4.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This date is also the enrolment day for term 1, with the club preparing to welcome back existing members and extend a warm welcome to those interested in joining.
If you are you older than 50 years and are retired or semi-retired from the workforce, want to keep your brain and body active, are keen to develop new social networks and want to share your skills and experience with others, you will find all of this and more in your local U3A organisation.
President Pat McAloon said the term 1 enrolment day would be held at Melbourne Polytechnic’s Ararat campus.
Mr McAloon said keynote speaker would be Dr Tim Harrison, chief executive of Ararat Rural City Council.
He went on to say that during 2018, U3A Ararat reached a record membership of 150 members.
“It is always a challenge to meet the needs of our membership,” Mr McAloon said. “However the committee has attempted to provide a wide variety of classes and activities for our members during term 1.”
Singing, woodwork, finska craft, solo and samba are very popular and will be available in term 1.
After a break of a couple of years, and due to popular demand, Italian classes will return, led by Nick Pitario.
Pilates classes have a loyal following and will again be offered in term 1. A number of lectures/guest speakers have been scheduled on the program.
These include advanced care planning (Mary Bruce); Ararat in the Depression (Keith Little); the Ararat/China connection (Henry Gunstone); and well-being from the inside out (Lodi Leipoldt).
East Grampians Health Service chief executive Andrew Freeman and Grampians Community Health’s Kate Astbury will also be a keynote speakers during the term.
“During 2018, excursions proved very popular and in term 1 we have scheduled a visit to the Mandela exhibition at the Melbourne Museum and a Volcano discovery walk at Derrinallum,” Mr McAloon said.
The Ararat Gardens Lake Walk will also continue in first term and some bushwalks, led by Margaret Farrar, will be planned for later in the term .
Classic movies and art proved very popular in 2018 and will be continued this year.
