Vernier Dinner Function – 11th Dec 2014
Our gala end of year dinner event will be held on 11th December. Please bring your partners, friends and family to this gala event at a special rate of $50 per guest.
We will have Bernie Geary – the Principal Commissioner for Children as our speaker and we will also be having two fabulous and acclaimed sopranos to entertain us.[hr][/hr]
Bernie Geary OAM has worked with vulnerable young people and their families for over 40 years. During this time he has been an advisor and advocate on issues relating to vulnerable children, young people and their families.
He began his career as Victoria’s first outreach youth worker in West Heidelberg, and managed the Brosnan Centre prior to becoming the CEO of Jesuit Social Services.
He also served on the Victorian Youth Parole Board (1988-2005), was a member of the Premier’s Drug Advisory Council in 1999 and 2001, the Victorian Sentencing Advisory Council (2005–2008) and the Victorian Children’s Council (2005-2013).
Since 2005, as Victoria’s inaugural Child Safety Commissioner, Bernie has worked hard to enhance the safety and wellbeing of Victoria’s children. During this time he has contributed to broad policy reform relevant to children’s well-being; as well as service improvement for children exposed to Child Protection, in particular those living in out-of-home care. He established the Community Integration Program designed to support vulnerable children being better connected to the community, and the Independent Visitor Program for young people detained in youth custody.
Bernie received the Order of Australia in 2002 for services to young people, a Centenary Medal in 2000, and has an honorary Masters Degree in Social Work. In June 2010, Bernie received an honorary award of Doctor of the University (Honoris Causa) Australian Catholic University.
Bernie and his wife Therese have 5 children and 9 grandchildren.
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Prudence Hare and Michelle McCarthy.
Prue and Michelle will sing some popular ( mostly Italian) opera and they will be accompanied on the beautiful white grand piano at Kooyong.
[hr][/hr]Prudence Hare found her love of performing in the theatre companies of Ballarat appearing in both principle and chorus roles. Prudence moved to Melbourne in 2010 to commence the Bachelor of Music and is currently completing her Honours year in Classical Voice at the Melbourne Conservatory of Music. She has received multiple placings in vocal eisteddfods including South Street, Bendigo, Warrnambool, Ararat, Warragul and Melbourne. Prudence was a member the chorus for VYO’s production of Assembly in 2011. In 2012 she was a Soprano Soloist for Mozart’s Requiem at the Melbourne Town Hall with the MCM Orchestra. Most recently Prudence presented a voice and piano recital with Peter Toohey at the Art Gallery of Ballarat and a fundraiser concert at the Diocesan Centre, Ballarat. Prue has just won the Acclaim Sleath Lowrey Scholarship.
[hr][/hr]Michelle McCarthy studied her Bachelor of Music (Performance) at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. Michelle’s performing credits include productions with Victorian Opera including Assembly and Play of Daniel, principle roles in Pirates of Penzance, Ruddigore and Iolanthe with Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria, ‘Constanze’ in Amadeus with Melbourne University and ‘Sappho’ in the premiere of Kevin March’s chamber piece Mythweaver. Michelle is also a frequent concert performer having sung as soprano soloist in Carmina Burana, Mozart Requiem and Kodaly Missa Brevis. Michelle is the recipient of numerous awards including the Florence Bradford Scholarship, Elise Weidermann Scholarship in addition to being a finalist and prize-winner in a variety of eisteddfods and competitions around Melbourne. Michelle has just returned from an Acclaim Italian study tour taking her to Jesi and La Scala in Milan.
[fancy_title style=”1″ align=”left” heading_style=”h1″ title_color=”#999″ title_lines_color=”#eee”]Event Details[/fancy_title]
When: 11th December 2014. Drinks from 6:30pm with dinner commencing at 7pm. Finish at 10:30pm
Price: Please bring partners, friends and family to this gala event at a special rate of $50 per guest.
Where: Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, 489 Glenferrie Road Kooyong
RSVP: To secure your attendance, please contact Peter Murie on 0419 106 765 or petermurie@bigpond.com. Please advise if you plan to bring a guest so that seating, catering and name badges can be arranged.
