Despite what you may have heard or read regarding the demise of the true Christmas spirit in Wagga, from the Wagga Uniting Church’s perspective, that view could not be further from the truth.
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Not only were we blessed with 105 wonderful guests at our annual Christmas lunch, but the generosity of several business houses and countless residents of this great city is way up there in the truest spirit of Christmas.
In all, 20 members of the public offered to help prepare for the event and then on Christmas Day, six members of the Sunrise Rotary Club turned up to help, followed by eight members of the Inspire Church who turned up to do the washing up and to stack away tables and chairs and help prepare takeaway packets of leftover food.
We can’t thank you all enough!
And we especially thank our donors: The Salvation Army (turkey and gifts); Target (toys and gifts); Services NSW (groceries); Better Country Foods (ham and other meat); Foodworks Turvey Tops (BBQ chickens); Joyce Hooper (Christmas cake); and Lenore, Mike, Les and Margaret for cash donations and Peter for more turkeys.
Without all of you, our Christmas lunch could not have been the success that it was, and the spirit in which all was given and all was done was just fantastic.
Thanks one and all!
Reverend Paul Cosier and Phil Sheather, Wagga Uniting Church
Tragedy shines a light
The case of Amy “Dolly” Everett is a tragic but all too common one.
In my 40 years of working with young people, the issue of suicide, bullying, and now cyberbullying has come up far too often.
Young people subjected to any form of bullying can experience significant social isolation and feelings of being unsafe, which can lead to emotional and physical harm, loss of self-esteem, feelings of shame, anxiety and a whole host of other mental health issues.
Bullying has always been a part of life, but that should not let us minimise or dismiss the effect it can have on a young person’s mental health as they develop. Parents need to understand that they are their child’s main advocate and need to take bullying seriously. We need to be aware of any symptoms of bullying in our children, including loss of interest in school and extra-curricular activities; frequent complaints of illness to avoid attending school; lacking a network of friends; appearing sad, moody or depressed; loss of appetite; trouble sleeping; anxiety; or low self-esteem.
As a parent, if you suspect that your child is a bully or is being bullied the first action you should take is to talk to them, ask subtle questions about their day at school and find out if something is concerning them.
A parent should never blame the victim and should work with a child’s school to find a solution to the issue rather than acting on their instant emotional response.
I support Dolly’s parents in their efforts to establish a trust to raise awareness of the issue. Everything we can do to shine a light on the darkness surrounding bullying, anxiety, depression and suicide is a positive thing.
Hopefully the conversations that this event has sparked will lead to a number of lives being saved.
Father Chris Riley, Youth Off The Streets CEO
- Are you or someone you know struggling with depression or anxiety? For support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.