Breaking news and other items of interest to our website visitors will be posted here as they occur. The three most recent posts appear in full on this page, and prior posts can be viewed by clicking the “Older posts” navigation link at the bottom of the page. To view any single news post on its own page, simply click on the post title. You can also view an index of all posts, in either date order or alphabetical order.
“Touched by Polio ~ From Casts to Catharsis” ~ Art Exhibition and Auction
“Once-upon-a-time tens of thousands of Australian children contracted polio,
recovered, got on with their lives (some even became artists!),
and they all lived happily ever after.”
~ The End ~
Or not . . . The “Touched by Polio ~ from casts to catharsis” art exhibition tells a myriad stories through thirty-five ‘artified’ leg and torso plaster casts.
“Touched by Polio” reflects on the often evoked ‘torture’ associated with childhood polio and transforms that painful memory into a thing of value and/or beauty – much like the lives of Australia’s polio survivors who became artists themselves.
Check out all the art works, and learn about the artists who crafted them, on Polio Australia’s Touched by Polio website.
The “Touched by Polio” art exhibition will be launched by Senator Mitch Fifield, Shadow Minister for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector, on Wednesday 27 March from 6:00 pm to 08:00 pm at the Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew, Victoria.
All the works will be up for auction at the launch, called by Guest Auctioneer, Ross Hedditch. Those pieces not sold at the launch can be bid for online on the Touched by Polio website.
RSVP for the launch is required by COB Monday 25 March
Please email Mary-ann or call her on 03 9016 7678
Polio Australia Introduces Three New Committee Members
New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria have all had a changing of the guard on the Polio Australia Management Committee, effective from the 2012 Annual General Meeting and subsequently.
Click here to read the profiles of these three new Committee Members:
John Tierney (New South Wales)
President
Peter Wierenga (South Australia)
Gordon McKinnon (Victoria)
We express here our gratitude to the retiring members Neil von Schill (New South Wales), Trevor Jessop (South Australia) and Michael Judson (Victoria) for their service to the Committee over the last four years and for their dedication to advocating for the needs of Australia’s polio survivors.
Michael Judson’s resignation as Treasurer necessitated a change to two of the Committee’s Executive positions which had been filled at the 2012 Annual General Meeting. The Executive members as from 13 February 2013 are:
Dr John Tierney OAM
President
National Patron,
Polio Australia
State: New South Wales
Gillian Thomas
Vice President
President,
Polio NSW
State: New South Wales
Jenny Jones
Secretary
Committee Member,
Post Polio Network of WA
State: Western Australia
Brett Howard
Treasurer
President,
Polio SA
State: South Australia
An Aussie Christmas Greeting
This Aussie Christmas tree with a difference
is courtesy of Mary-ann’s decorating skills
The Management Committee (Arthur, Brett, Billie, Gillian, Jen, Jenny, John M, John T, Margaret, Michael, Peter and Tessa), Staff (Mary-ann) and Office Volunteers (Jill and Shylie) wish everyone a peaceful Christmas and a healthy New Year.
1st State Gives a Helping Hand to Polio Australia
Instead of holding a Christmas function this year, the management of 1st State Government and Corporate Relations, led by Executive Director Joseph Tannous, donated $1,000 each to Polio Australia and Bravehearts, two organisations that 1st State works closely with and provides pro bono advocacy services to.
Joseph Tannous, founder of 1st State Government and Corporate Relations, hands a donation cheque to
Dr John Tierney OAM, Special Counsel at 1st State Government and Corporate Relations,
and National Patron and President of Polio Australia
Dr John Tierney hands over the 1st State donation cheque to Gillian Thomas, Vice President of Polio Australia
In addition, 1st State advised their clients of their corporate donations and urged them to donate as well.
Please click here to donate to Polio Australia.
We at Polio Australia are very grateful that 1st State has chosen to invest in our work in this way and look forward to a long and mutually satisfying relationship between our two organisations.
Australian Polio Register Promoted on “Australia All Over”
Known to Australia and indeed the world as “Macca”, Ian McNamara joined the ABC over thirty years ago. Today Ian presents the National Sunday Breakfast program Australia All Over. As the presenter of Australia All Over, Macca has the opportunity to talk to people from many walks of life. With an affable, easy manner and an understanding of the issues faced by those living with a disability, Macca has been a wonderful ambassador for Ability First Australia, of which Polio Australia is a member. Macca did a wonderful job to officiate at the National Launch of Walk with Me in 2011, and continues to champion for Ability First Australia whenever possible.
On Sunday 10 December 2012, Lyn Glover (Convener of the Gold Coast Post-Polio Support Network and one of Polio Australia’s social media champions) spoke to Macca about Polio Australia’s “We’re Still Here!” Campaign and the need for all polio survivors now living in Australia (whether they contracted polio in this country or not) to sign up to the Australian Polio Register. You can listen to Lyn’s interview below by courtesy of the ABC.
As you will have heard during their chat, Macca gave Lyn a very good hearing and promoted the address of our website several times during the segment – thanks Macca! This publicity resulted in a large spike of hits on our website on the day (see below) and many new registrations on the Australian Polio Register. Macca has invited us to give him an update early in the New Year and we will certainly be taking him up on that kind offer.
