Re: Who Cares

I give to smaller charities especially reading an article such as the woman who went to Africa and witnessed the women and children walking so many miles to get their water. She came up with the idea of a 'roundabout' that pumps the water - the children loved using the roundabout, great idea...

Re: Who Cares

One really lovely thing to have come out of all my years as scout leader was the last group of scouts I taught, went off, on their own, to some desolate place in Africa and helped to build a funnel thing to bring water from the mountains down into the village; all the boys had said that without scouting, they probably wouldn't have thought about doing something like that. I can't really take any credit - but I'm going to try

Re: Who Cares

Fabulous story - really lifts yer heart ....

Re: Who Cares

Hi RJ, I am not sure this topic has been reposted, but there is a chance I may be recurring, just covering all possible scenarios.

Re: Who Cares

I support local charities, but mostly I give to the local church which supports projects overseas. I know the people involved and I know the money is going to the intended parties. THe church is currently engaged in supporting local charities in helping folks in debt & feeding & clothing the poverty stricken.
THis is not a new venture ,rather an ongoing one.


I am wary of the well known charities but support the SAlvation Army whose expenses compared to income are the lowest % of all of them.

Re: Who Cares

Thanks Spitfire, it is worth reposting anyway.

You know, one of the great things about this forum is that people like me, who are not very mobile can discuss all kinds of familiar & unfamiliar topics & find out what they really think about events & current events.

It's a bit like introverts & extroverts. The former having mulled over something intheir heads & then don't feel the need to share their thoughts.
Where as the latter extroverts don't know what they think about a topic until they hear themselves saying it!

Re: Who Cares

Well I am not sure what you are really trying to say here
Spitfire but see life as if we can at least try and make sure
we dont contribute to making this world any worse and if
possible do something to make it better ie helping an old
person by getting the odd bit of shopping etc.for example.

Re: Who Cares

I think you can change things.

I guess I was quite lucky to be in a position to do something. I spent seven years as president of the teachers union here and I DID change things for the better for our teachers by running campaigns I believed in and providing the leadership to get them up and running and succeeding. I was strongly opposed (as were most of our teachers) to a new skills based/content free curriculum which was introduced here and I commissioned a survey and took the overwhelming results to the Minister and led protests and gathered support until he gave in and it was removed.

I have belonged to an international women's service club for 30 years and the total of our donations worldwide supports major UNIFEM programs to aid women and girls in third world countries. My individual contribution is small but the total millions raised can do wonderful things. We also fund an ongoing program in a local high school for girls at risk - small but worthwhile. I think it all depends on the will you have to get something done.

Re: Who Cares

If this was all people do then perhaps you are right. Hopefully people who feel strongly about issues do a bit more than just whinge about it in these forums.

Personally I write to newspapers and my local MPs (Federal and State) as well as visit them in their electorate office on some issues, I also am a member of a neighbourhood forum belonging to my local council where you can make representations and even button hole councillors. There is a lot one person can do because politicians know that for every body that actually approaches them there are many more who feel the same way but keep silent.

My local Federal MP is backbencher Stephen Jones and you only have to look at his recent performances in the House of Reps to know the issues I feel strongly about are also issues he has taken up (Gambling, Gay Marriage, Anti Smoking, NBN etc).

I am not making any extravagant claims here but I do believe lobbying your local MP does have an influence if only to reinforce their existing beliefs. BUT you have to actually do it to have any effect.


This is Stephen Jones with the President of my local seniors club when I invited him to address us (I am the club secretary). Again we were able to personally lobby him on concerns we had about some Federal issues.

Another advantage of forging these relationships is that our club is one of many that use his office for things like mailing and photo copying services.

Re: Who Cares

I agree, Bruce, lobbying politicians can have results. The other thing I'm currently involved with is COTA - Council on the Ageing - and I have attended a couple of forums as part of a parliamentary inquiry into barriers to work for older people and given them a strong serve about how difficult is for older people to access Centrelink (our social services) via computer and phone. A report has now been completed and I just saw that my submission was attached to it and some of my points included in the recommendations.

You just have to be prepared to get out and do things. My OH is a great complainer but not much of a doer.