Donate fishing gear to the Connect Program at the Boaties market this Sunday

[malby]

Hi guys,

As many of you know I work with 'at risk' boys from Brissy State Schools taking them on camps which includes beach, canoeing, bush walking and work experience camps at a Prawn Farm at Rocky Point. See: http://www.su-connect.org.au/index.htm

What is the Connect program?

SU QLD’s Connect is a leadership and early intervention program for youth, providing a number of adventure based camps to help young teenagers develop positive attitudes, improved self-esteem and essential life skills. As part of a holistic approach, Connect also involves key faculty and family at every stage.
It aims to help young people critically evaluate their experiences in school and in the community, and to help them set a positive course that will support their life goals.
The program aims to help young people to:


Develop positive attitudes, self-esteem and a belief in themselves;
Be empowered to live purposeful lives;
Decrease their alienation from school, parents and the community; and
Develop caring relationships through an essential support system.

The program involves a series of adventure-based / experiential learning camps that include activities such as abseiling, hiking, canoeing, fishing and ropes courses. It is through involvement in these activities that participants learn invaluable leadership skills, self belief, team work and general life skills. Once participants have completed the Connect Program they continue to receive small group support and individual mentoring, from key people in their school and community, to ensure the skills learnt during the Program continue to be fostered.

As the Connect Program does not receive any Government funding we rely on the community to help make Connect happen and our biggest sponsor currently is the Qld RSL.

So if anyone would like to help out an easy way to help make a difference is to swing by the Boaties Market this Sunday morning the 3rd of November at Victoria Point State school and make a donation of any unwanted fishing or camping gear knowing it will be appreciated and well used by our boys.

Things we currently would find helpful include:

6-7 foot graphite or glass 2-4kg rods.
10-12 foot beach rods
2000 sized spinning reels
6000 sized spinning reels (not so many needed) for the beach rods.
metal lures for tailor spinning etc
hard body lures for bass fishing (big need at present as we chew through them)
soft plastic lures to suit estuary or fresh water fishing
braid scissors
long nose pliers
small nets for canoes
lip grippers
sinkers
hooks
swivels
4-8lb braid and 6-15lb mono
PVC rod holders or other similar for beach fishing
bait pump rubber washers
alvey or wilson bait pumps
cast nets
fishing shirts or hats
water bottles
beanies
hiking boots
raincoats
long socks
2-3 man dome tents
sand pegs
campfire tripods or cooking stands

anything else you may want to donate including other camping gear of course!;)

I have asked Dayoo (Barry) who will have his usual jig heads and sinkers stall on the Eastern side nearest the tuck shop to take such donations and he has agreed to do so and I will be there moving about but will drop back to Barry's table from time to time if you want to Connect!::)

I have been involved in helping to run Connect on the nothside now for 2 years and we see many young guys challenged, supported and changed so you can be sure that your gear will make a difference.

Hope to meet some of you and thanks again to the many Ausfishers who have already donated and made a difference!

Cheers to you all!!

Mal

People/companies who already have sponsored Connect include:

TT Lures and Z Mann plastics
Platypus lines
Easy Cast cast nets
Sandgate Tackleworld

Sun2Sea shirts
Ken Burgess of Frazorodz rod and reel repairs ph.38820562
Mr Ausfish
Wilson
Alvey
and plenty of guys of this forum:D

Pps. If you know any companies that may want to help with corporate sponsorship please send them our way as often the funding shortfall ($6000 for Primary and $9000 for High schools for 1 year of camps etc) is raised by local school chaplains and their committee's which is plain hard yakka and a very large number of hot dogs and sausage sizzles.:o

[manta man]

Mate all i can say is i admire your dedication, your the type of person who deserves more recognition.Keep up the good work because if not for people like yourself, god knows what would be happening.

[malby]

Thanks Mata Man.

Just to make it clear though it's not me that does the sausage sizzles etc for fundraising.

I chase gear etc and sponsors for funding when I get time but its the local school chaplains that generally do all of the hard yakka. They are the salt of the earth those guys and girls and they never cease to amaze me with all that they do.

Not sure if you know but there is yet another High Court Challenge by a guy in Toowoomba against Chaplaincy being funded by the Government. What he may not know is that programs like Connect would not exist without School Chaplains as they initiate getting us in, they raise the funds and then usually come on our camps even when they are totally wiped from all of their business and helping of average kids in our communities.

There is currently a back our Chappies campaign going on to raise awareness of what is happening and they are looking for people who believe in Chaplaincy to sign a petition. If you or anyone out there in Ausfish land would like to help out please go to the link I will provide and enter your signature for support:

http://backourchappies.com.au/?utm_campaign=backourchappies&utm_source=suqldwebsite&utm_content=homebanner1&utm_medium=banner

Mal

[TREVELLY]

Signed it Mal - good and worthy call.

Amazing that one person can be such an obstacle - is he possessed!

[malby]

Not sure Trev but he sure is causing a lot of concern....again, and seems to have bottomless pockets when it comes to fighting court cases.

Last time he won his case the Politicians on both sides pushed the Chappy funding through anyway using a new model. In fact they did it within the same week!

My guess is that although the Pollies represented the multitudes out there that say they like and want our Chaplains in schools old matey does not and won't stop till he gets his way so I guess we'll see what happens this time but backing like yours (through signing the petition) is invaluable in helping us help young people.

Hopefully others will take your lead Trev!;D

[Gon Fishun]

The wife and I are in. Good luck Malby.

[Giffo65]

Just signed it,I just do not understand some people.Here we have people trying to make a difference with kids ,that are possibly having a hard time for some reason ,and he wants to stop them !

[solemandownunder]

Malby thanks for the PMs' today...will be in contact tomorrow.

Have just signed the petition and posted it on my FaceBook wall as well.

Maybe someone has a hidden agenda, but I for one would not like to see us end up like the Usa, where a godless regime has all but outlawed what we have been bought up with and come to respect as a part of life.

Thanks, Ray