Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 1

Volunteer Office Contacts and to

subscribe to Vollie News:

volunteeroffice@stjohnnt.asn.au

Phone: 08 8922 6234

08 8922 6205

On other pages this week:

Competition photos

NatCamp 2015 photos

Flea Market

Assessors Workshop

The Train of Life

“I Will Not Live In Vain”

More NatCamp photos

The Clyde Fenton Story

This week in history

Unique Student

Identification

2015 Volunteer Awards

Please send contributions to

Vollie News

before 4.00pm Thursday

vollienews@yahoo.com.au

Frank Dunstan, editor/compiler

0456 695 766

Back issues of Vollie News

http://www.territorystories.nt.gov

.au/handle/10070/179615

Australia Day 26th January

I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the cadet camp. It was a

tiring week that went off with a hitch. Thank you Kimberlee and Mick McKay for

setting up and being in charge of the competitions. Without the volunteer

support on that day we would not have had a fantastic competitions. We had

55 volunteers on the day of the competitions with 45 volunteers from Darwin

alone. Well done Darwin and congratulations to the competitors with national

champions in the team event.

Congratulations and sincere thanks to all those in the NT who worked so hard to

make this a great success for the cadets, the leaders and St John generally.

Professor Mark Compton AM KStJ Chairman Chancellor, Order of St John St John Ambulance Australia

Read the ABC News story about the Competitions:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-12/st-john-cadet-competion-nt-

winners/6012454

NT Competitors: Zoe Johnston, Individual; Sarah McLaughlin, Cadet Leader; Hayley McLaughlin

& Lauren Coghill, Team; Sarena Hyland, Manager – holding Gemma Gray, Team

Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 2

States attending and numbers:

NSW 7 members

NT 15

QLD 14

TAS 7

SA 13

VIC 14

Staff and National Guests 7

Cadets 44 Adults 31- including staff (total 77) Staff:

Camp Manager Mark Ferguson

Deputy Camp Manager Hailee Skinner

Territory Officer Cadets Kelly Raven

Medical Officer Mandy Paradise

Transport Officer Craig Garraway and Narelle McLaughlin

Administration Gwyn Balch, Debbie Garraway & Kathy Allen

Logistics Pat Murray

Competition Staff

Competition Manager Kimberlee McKay

Assistant Competition Manager Michael McKay

There were also 55 Volunteer helpers, which included 45 from Darwin. National Office Guests:

Paul Compton National EHS Manager (but here as SOC NSW)

James Chandler Chief Cadet Officer

Kieran Brown National Youth Projects Officer

Lakshmi Sunderasan Australian Youth Advisory Team Dates:

Cadets arrived: Wed 7th January

Official Welcome Thu 8th

Comps held: Sat 10th

Formal Dinner: Wed 14th

Cadets departed: Thu 15th Activities: The cadets all enjoyed these Darwin outings:

Wave Pool

Military Museum

Wildlife Park

NT Museum

Crocodylus Park

Darwin Mall

Casuarina Square

East Point

Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 3

Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 4

Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 5

7th February 2015

At the Palmerston Volunteer Centre

Contact Angie Butler for more information

angie.butler@stjohnnt.asn.au

Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 6

Thanks to Ros Jones for sending this to Vollie News:

At birth we board a train and meet our parents. We

believe they will always travel by our side. However,

at some station, our parents will step down from

the train, leaving us on this journey alone. As time

goes by, other people will board the train, and they

will be significant - siblings, friends, the love of

your life, children, and many others. Some will step

down and leave a permanent vacuum. Others will go

so unnoticed that we won't realize they vacated

their seats.

The train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy,

expectations, hellos, good-byes, and farewells. A

successful ride requires having a good relationship

with all passengers. We must give the best of

ourselves.

The mystery to everyone is, we do not know at

which station we ourselves will step down.

So we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and

offer the best of who we are. It is important to do

this because when the time comes for us to step

down and leave our seat empty we should leave

behind beautiful memories for those who will

continue to travel on the train of life.

I wish you a joyful journey on the train of life. Reap

success and give lots of love. More importantly,

thank your God for the journey.

Lastly, I thank you for being one of the passengers

on my train.

Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 7

by Rae Meadows

An excerpt from her forthcoming book

He stood in the middle of the front yard yelling at God.

That in itself is not so crazy, but then he started to have

a conversation with God. He was fighting back at God,

answering back as if he heard what God was saying. As

I sat on the front step, I started to seriously wonder if

there really was something wrong with him. That night

it was my job to talk him down. That night he directed

his anger at me.

When I had arrived, he was already angry with me.

Before I had a chance to get in the door, he grabbed his

keys and threw them at me. The keys hit me in the

chest and he told me to get in his truck. Instinctively, I

bent down to pick the keys up from the front step as

he informed me that I would be driving him to get more

beer; he had been drinking and didn’t want to drive

himself. Silently obeying him, I followed him to the

truck and got in. Before I even had the chance to start

the vehicle he grabbed my hand to stop me turning the

key. Clutching my hand tightly, he screamed at me

about a perceived offence. I apologized for my minor

role in what had upset him – even though I had done

nothing wrong. He put his face as close as he could to

mine as he snarled at me, the sarcasm dripping, “Oh,

you’re sorry? You think that makes it alright?!” I

apologized repeatedly; I begged him to calm down and

told him I knew I was wrong. After what felt like several

minutes of berating me, he calmed enough to allow me

to drive us to the store. Once there, he commanded me

to stay in the vehicle to wait for him.

We arrived back at the house, but David did not want

to get out of the truck yet. He was no longer screaming,

but he was still upset. We sat in the driveway for

several minutes talking; he was not ready to be inside

around other people. That’s when the police showed

up.

The officer gestured for me to roll down the window.

He asked us where we had been and what route we

had taken. Then he asked us to get out of the car.

Supposedly there had been a hit and run involving a

vehicle just like the one we were in. David asked the

officer if he knew how many black pickup trucks were

in this neighbourhood, let alone Clarksville, TN.

The officer saw the beer on the floorboards and asked

if we’d been drinking. David was upfront and said “Yes

sir, I have been drinking – but she has not, and she was

driving the vehicle.” David knew how to switch on his

behaviour, even when he was drunk. He knew how to

be respectful and hide his inebriation, and he displayed

this talent for the police officer. I don’t think he was

ever too drunk to control his behaviour if he wanted to.

The officer alluded to the possibility that we had just

switched seats, to keep David from getting in trouble.

Personally, I found this ridiculous. If we had been trying

to hide a crime, we would have put the truck in the

garage and ran into the house instead of hanging out

in the driveway.

I think that possibly he could tell I was on edge and

perhaps under duress, so he took me aside while

another officer spoke to David and the others that had

come out of the house by this point. He said “Look, I

can see the officer decal on the truck. I know it’s not

yours. I know it’s his truck. You could get in a lot of

trouble for lying for your boyfriend…”

“He’s not my boyfriend. He’s just a friend,” I said as I

stared at the ground.

He didn’t look as though he believed me, but said

“Okay.” Then he continued on saying, as he glanced in

David’s direction, “If you need to come down to the

station to speak freely, we can arrange that. You don’t

have to talk about it with him around. We can protect

you.”

I scoffed at that. Yeah, right.

The officer told me that the witnesses heard a man and

woman arguing in the vehicle in question. David’s

window had been down when the officer arrived and

apparently he had heard the tone of how David was

talking to me. He asked me one more time if I had

anything I needed to report to him. I ignored what I

knew he was insinuating.

Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 8

“Seriously, Officer, I was driving. We didn’t see anyone

walking on the road, let alone hit them. I am sure I

would have realized if I had hit someone.”

The police started to inspect the vehicle; they were

looking for any sign that it may have been involved in

the incident. They pointed to some areas where the

finish was smudged – handprints mostly. It seemed to

me they were clutching at straws, and I made a mildly

sarcastic comment about if David had only kept his car

clean we wouldn’t be in this situation. He glared at me

and then responded through his clenched teeth fake

smile. He was obviously pissed at me and trying not to

react in front of the police.

By this point David had called his NCO to come help him

out. Even though David himself was an officer, he

apparently called the NCO because he didn’t want his

chain of command to know what was going on. I

wonder if this was the same NCO that had tried to call

my husband to smooth things over as well.

Eventually, they brought the girl that had been hit –

lucky for her she only had minor injuries – and her

friend that had been with her. They looked us over

from the police cruiser and then told the police officers

that it wasn’t us that had hit her. That was a relief, but

I had been more relieved that David had been yanked

out of his aggressive behaviour for the time being.

Your editor was once a volunteer telephone counsellor for Crisis Line, an NT predecessor of Life Line, in the early

1980s. One week that I will never forget was my part in a Domestic Violence phone-in for Dr Peter D’Abbs of the

Menzies School of Health Research. It wasn’t so much a counselling program, as gaining data for research conducted

by the good Doctor. I heard some very harrowing tales and one I clearly remember was told by a woman in such fear

of her abusive husband that she slept with a knife under her pillow.

Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 9

Northern Standard, Tuesday 26 June 1934

DARWIN POLICE COURT

At the Darwin Police Court on Friday morning, June

22nd, before Mr., Victor L. Lampe, special magistrate,

Doctor Clive Cornwall Fenton was charged with

having wilfully driven a motor car on the footpath

Smith Street, contrary to the law.

Defendant failed to put in an appearance when his

name was called.

Police Prosecutor Koop stated he had been given to

understand that a plea of guilty was to be entered in

connection with this charge and, in consequence, he

had endeavoured to save expense by not calling

witnesses. It was within the power of the Bench to

issue a warrant, should His Worship desire to do so.

The S.M. stated that he would certainly cause

a warrant to be issued if defendant did not put in an

appearance after two other cases before the

court had been dealt with.

Other cases were then heard …

Doctor Clive Cornwall Fenton, then in court, was

charged with having driven a motor car on

the footpath in Smith Street, and pleaded guilty.

Police Prosecutor Koop stated that defendant drove a

motor-car at about 8.20 p.m., on the night of Monday,

June 11th, along the footpath from the Victoria Hotel

to the Commercial Bank corner, then crossed Smith

Street and drove the car along the footpath on the

opposite side of the street as far as the Star Picture

Theatre. Fortunately the pictures were showing and

there were few people about. The offence carries a

maximum penalty of £20, no minimum being stated.

Fined £5 with costs.

Northern Standard, Friday 23 January 1942, p. 1

ARP FIRST AID HEAD RESIGNS

Lawyer A. Brough Newell has resigned the post of

A.R.P. Director of First Aid.

He has done so because of the poor public response

to appeals for volunteers for first-aid and stretcher-

bearer squads.

This apathy will have tragic consequences when

Darwin is raided, says Mr. Newell.

His letter of resignation, sent to Chief Air Raid Warden

Miller yesterday, is:

"I hereby tender my resignation from the position of

Director of First Aid in the A.R.P organization, to take

effect as from noon tomorrow Friday. I am willing to

serve in any other capacity for which you

may consider I am fit.

"The reason for this is the absolute apathy of the men

of Darwin. A handful have been working hard to train

themselves as first aid men and stretcher bearers but

the numbers are absolutely inadequate to deal with

the civilian casualties which are likely to occur in the

smallest of attacks.

"While I am deeply appreciative of the efforts of the

small band of willing workers, I can see that we will be

quite inadequate and if the wounded are not

attended promptly we will be blamed.

"I therefore recommend that the purchased

equipment be transferred to the Chief Medical Officer

(Civil) and the equipment generously made available

by A.D.M.S. of 7th Military District be returned to him

and the public of Darwin advised through the press

that in the event of their being wounded in an air (or

other) attack, they must either walk to the New Civil

Hospital or die on the spot.

"I am sending a copy of this resignation to the

Northern Standard."

Darwin was bombed on 19th February, just 27 days later.

Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 10

A USI is a reference number made up of numbers and

letters which will allow all of an individual’s training

records, entered in the national vocational education

and training (VET) data collection, to be linked.

All volunteers (14+) will need to have one before

1/1/2015, if members do not have a USI they will not

be issued with nationally recognised certificates (ie

Provide First Aid or Advanced First Aid Certificates)

The USI will make it easier for students to find, collate

and authenticate their VET achievements into a single

transcript. It will also ensure that students’ VET

records are not lost.

The USI is available online and at no cost to the

student. This USI will stay with the student for life and

be recorded for any nationally recognised VET course

that is undertaken from when the USI comes into

effect.

Once you have received your USI please email the

details to the Volunteer Office so we can record your

number onto the database and advise Training

Branch.

The following steps show you how to create

your Unique Student Identifier (USI):

Go to

https://portal.usi.gov.au/student/TermsAndCond

itions?ReturnUrl=%252fstudent%252f

Step 1 Get at least one form of ID from the list

below ready:

Driver’s Licence

Medicare Card (this includes a current family

Medicare card where your name is included)

Australian Passport

Visa (with Non-Australian Passport) for

international students

Birth Certificate (Australian) *please note a

Birth Certificate extract is not sufficient

Certificate Of Registration By Descent

Citizenship Certificate

IMPORTANT: The details you enter when you create

your USI must match exactly with those shown on the

form of ID used.

More information on proof of ID and different types.

Step 2 Click on ‘Create your USI’.

Step 3 Agree to the terms and conditions.

Step 4 Fill in your personal and contact details.

Step 5 Enter the requested details as shown on your

form of ID (see list above).

Step 6 Set your USI account password and questions

for security.

Step 7 Your USI will now be displayed on the screen.

Step 8 You should write down your USI somewhere

safe or enter it into your phone for safe keeping.

Step 9 Your USI will also be sent to you by either your

email, phone or by mailing address (which ever you

choose as your preferred contact method when

creating your USI).

Step 10 Be sure to email or call the volunteer office

with your USI number.

Duplicate USI

When you create your USI the system will check

existing accounts and advise if there is a USI account

already established. If you or your training

organisation become aware of the possibility of you

having two USIs, either party should report the issue

to the USI Office. The USI Office will work with the

relevant parties to resolve the issue and advise you of

the outcome.

Forgotten USI

If you forget or lose your USI you can retrieve it

online. You will need to enter a few details to verify

who you are to display your USI. The details must be

the same as those you entered when you applied for a

USI or, if you did so, when you last updated your USI

account.

Vollie News Thursday 22nd January 2015

Page 11