JABBER JOURNAL
Grafton U3A Inc. (University of the Third Age)
PO Box 688 Grafton NSW 2460
www.grafton.u3anet.org.au
“Sharing our knowledge, skills and experience in a friendly convivial way”
AUGUST 2014
JABBERFEST * 10.00AM 11 AUGUST
GIRLS WOODWORKING GROUP DVD * ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
ENTERTAINING QUIZ * GOOD VIBES PERFORMANCE
GRAFTON COMMUNITY CENTRE – DUKE STREET GRAFTON
As advised last month our 12th Annual General Meeting of Grafton U3A will be held in
conjunction with August Jabberfest. This meeting is important to all members as it
provides an opportunity to welcome our new Executive and Committee, review
activities of the past year and make recommendations to the incoming Committee.
Please note that only financial members are entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting. For those who have
not yet renewed their subscriptions, the Treasurer will be on hand from around 9.30am to accommodate you.
August Jabberfest will also include a Girls Woodwork group DVD presentation as well as an entertaining quiz
(including a prize) prepared by resident quizmaster David Abrahams and a performance by our own Good Vibes.
Please note that there will be no entry charge for August Jabberfest as it is our annual general meeting. Do come
along for a wonderful morning of entertainment.
Thought for the day
“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey”
IN THIS ISSUE
From the President’s desk
Courses and Interest Groups update
Computers for sale
Editor contact
GRAFTON U3A JABBER JOURNAL
August Jabberfest
July Jabberfest wrap
Morning tea roster
Norfolk Island U3A
AUGUST 2014
Thought for the day
Thank you Maureen
New member update
Gems for Enquiring minds
Closing date
PAGE 1
FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK
After spending almost a month in Townsville and points further north, I am back to the
‘real’ winter. The temperature in Townsville was around 26 every day with nights down
to around 15. I can now fully understand why the winter is called the time for the ‘grey
nomads’ to travel north in their caravans. I hear that temperatures were severe here
during early July so I am glad to have missed it. North Queensland is certainly as
beautiful as people say with lovely beaches and beachside towns and villages. I also
visited the Atherton Tablelands, which was much cooler and fascinating with the oldest
rainforest in the world – something I didn’t know until being told during a tour. So back
to reality and back to enjoying all that U3A has to offer all of us. Many thanks to Dennis
Kelly and David Abrahams who kept the flag flying at July Jabberfest and Committee
meetings respectively during my absence. Hope to see you all at August Jabberfest.
Maree Burrows
JULY JABBERFEST WRAP
The July Jabberfest opened with a welcome to guest speaker Anne Judd and new members Susan Hereford Ashley
and Shirley Grimston. News from the Armchair Travel, Bushwalking, Canasta and Friday mini-concerts groups was
provided before Nancy Eggins updated members on current projects being undertaken in the newly formed
History Club and Don McLeod of the Computer group detailed a new course for tablet users commencing 15 July.
Members were informed that course DVDs are available for loan through Alysan Pender. Members congratulated
Beatrice Taminiau who recently celebrated her 90th birthday.
Guest speaker Anne Judd, clinical nurse specialist in organ donation for the mid North Coast, was introduced to
the audience and provided a very informative and interesting presentation on the topic – “Organ and Tissue
Donation – Discover the facts”. Anne explained that almost anyone can become a donor irrespective of age and
listed the organs and tissue that can be donated. She also explained the myths and misconceptions of organ and
tissue donation as well as the process of registering and informing family members of your intentions. The aim of
the scheme can be summarised as follows:

 Discover the facts about organ and tissue donation

Decide and register your donation decision

Discuss your decision with those close to you
Following her presentation Anne fielded several questions from the floor before being thanked for her presentation
and presented with a creative timber piece created by the artisans from the Mens Shed. The August door prize, a
crafted timber bowl was presented to Lauri Pulkkinen. The next meeting - 10am on 11 August 2014 at Grafton
Community Centre.
THANK YOU MAUREEN
After ten years as Coordinator of the Book Discussion group,
Maureen Stanford has decided to step down for medical reasons.
Maureen, who until recently also conducted the monthly Armchair
Travel group, has been a wonderful asset for U3A and her ‘pupils’
have enjoyed great fellowship and the joy of reading and
discussing what they have read. Maureen will be greatly missed.
On behalf of myself, the Committee, Book Discussion group
members and I am sure many others, I wish to say a huge THANK
YOU for a great effort and a job well done.
Maree Burrows
GRAFTON U3A JABBER JOURNAL
AUGUST 2014
PAGE 2
COURSES AND INTEREST GROUPS UPDATE
ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
Our next meeting will be 26 August and Magda
Mussared will be presenting Part 3 of her trip to
Britain and Shirley Tees will show photos of her trip
to China. Peter Smyth 6642 1692.
BUSHWALKING
Coast walking
We set out with the happy hopefulness of anticipated
pleasure. We were not disappointed. Perfect day,
splendid landscape, breaching whales, birds in
abundance - no wonder our 17 walkers smiled
throughout this short stroll of a mere 6 kilometres!
Diggers Beach was our starting point as the
kookaburras laughed us off. Meanwhile drunken
lorikeets, gorged on nectar from the flowering
banksias floundered blindly from tree to tree. After
climbing up to Macauleys Headland, we had grand
views over Coffs, Muttonbird Island and into the
southern distance. As a food source with birds and
eggs and as a place of special significance in the
stories of the Gumbaingirr people, Muttonbird Island
mattered greatly to them - still does. The Garby
Elders represent the traditional owners in whose
country we walk today. We acknowledge them and
pay our respects. Once a small ship, the Endeavour,
sailed past. Were those who sighted it "alert and
alarmed"? They should have been as illegal boat
people were following in their hundreds of
thousands.
Heading north now we tramped along delightful
Diggers Beach, crossed the stream and climbed up
through littoral rainforest to Diggers Headland,
taking the track to the point. On cue, whales
breached and displayed unaware of our applause
while in the forest behind whip birds gave their
cracking call. Unfortunately, at Charlesworth Bay the
museum was closed so we continued to Kororo
before turning back to lunch and Diggers Beach,
sighting more birds along the way. These included
the whip birds we had been constantly hearing and
the incredibly flamboyant Pitta with its feathers of
many colours.
To the east are the Solitary Islands with the
lighthouse on South Solitary rising from the waters
of the Tasman Sea with its fluidity, brightness,
largeness and continuity. Beneath the surface
diverse and abundant life forms swim, tumble,
rumble, feed and breed. As I paddled in the
surprisingly warm water along Diggers Beach and
listened to the never ending song of the surf, I
thought gratefully of the efforts from Coffs Council
and National Parks, which had resulted in the
construction of this beautiful Solitary Islands Coastal
Walk stretching from Sawtell to Red Rock. There it
meets the Yuraygir Walk through Yaegl Country to
Yamba. How fortunate we are to be here this
glorious day. Barbara Fahey Next walk 4th Monday in
August
–
destination
undecided
as
yet.
A likely tail
Pitta bird
Solitary Islands
GRAFTON U3A JABBER JOURNAL
AUGUST 2014
PAGE 3
MORNING TEA ROSTER
11 Aug Helen Daniels Gwen Patricks Ann Pulkkinen
8 Sept Margaret Lee Brian & Joan Carter
Our sincere thanks to our morning tea volunteers.
NEW MEMBER UPDATE
We welcome new members – Shirley Grimston and
Vince Grace. We trust that you enjoy your
association with Grafton U3A and avail of the
courses/interest groups available.
COMPUTERS FOR SALE
We are upgrading our operations at
Dougherty House and no longer require
the existing desktop computers and
offer them for sale to members. All are
in operating order and ready to go.
GEMS FOR ENQUIRING MINDS
BOX – MONITOR – KEYBOARD – MOUSE AND
CABLES
FOUR ONLY AT $20 EACH (ONE ONLY PER MEMBER)
ALSO ONE CANON PRINTER IN
EXCELLENT ORDER FOR $30 TO BE
PICKED
UP
AT
ROOMS
BY
ARRANGEMENT
CALL DAVID ABRAHAMS 0407413813
FIRST IN – BEST DRESSED 
NORFOLK ISLAND U3A
Norfolk Island U3A, which has been incorporated for
only twelve months has invited Grafton U3A
members to join them in celebrating several cultural
events including Thanksgiving Day, First Fleet
celebrations 225th anniversary, celebration of the
wrecking of HMS Sirius and also Bounty Day. As well
as the cultural events, history and language, there is
also an opportunity to participate in local U3A
activities
and
to meet U3A
members.
Enquiries
can
be
made
through Norfolk
Island
Travel
Centre website:
https://www.norfolkislandtravelcentre.com/?s=u3a
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CLOSING DATE – EDITOR CONTACT
Contributions to the Jabber Journal are always
welcome. We reserve the right to edit material
submitted for publication. Closing date for the
September edition is Monday 25 August 2014.
Editor: Dennis Kelly thehifields@bigpond.com
GRAFTON U3A JABBER JOURNAL
AUGUST 2014
PAGE 4