Julia Banks (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Chisholm community is home to thousands of Australians who uphold our nation's wonderful values of mateship, service and companionship, including two key groups which promote these values, the Rotary Club of Mount Waverley and the new U3A in Box Hill. The Rotary Club of Mount Waverley are a group of wonderful people, united in their desire to make a difference in our local and international communities. Led by Geoff Logie-Smith, the club has a proud tradition of service throughout Chisholm, and I was honoured to meet with many members in recent weeks, including Keith Kendrick, Robyn Morrow, David Whiting, Sean Derbyshire and Ros and Malcom Clowes to hear about their marvellous efforts—including recent fundraising drives, volunteering and community building—in the work they do in Chisholm.

Since 1992, U3A Box Hill has provided a pathway for local seniors to maintain their mental, social and physical wellbeing when they retire. U3A employs a self-help model to provide affordable educational and social programs for seniors. At U3A Box Hill, volunteer retirees share their knowledge, skills and passion with more than 550 members. Members currently have the opportunity to partake in classes covering Nordic walking, photography, choral singing, languages and philosophy, to name a view. For 25 years, U3A Box Hill has been located at Strabane Avenue in Mont Albert. It is superbly led by President Valerie Bourke. I was very pleased to recently deliver a Stronger Communities grant on behalf of the Turnbull government. The Stronger Communities grant is just one example of the positive effect that these grants programs delivered by the Turnbull government are having.