Entries are now open for the 16th Sunshine Coast Art Prize— the flagship art event for the Sunshine Coast region and one of the most coveted art awards in Australia with a prize pool of more than $30,000.

Arts Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowski said: “Once again Sunshine Coast Council is casting its net both locally and nationwide, encouraging entries from Australia’s best contemporary artists,”

“The prize is acquisitive, with the winning artwork adding to our increasingly impressive Sunshine Coast Art Collection. A sample is now on display at the Caloundra Regional Gallery.”

Caloundra Regional Gallery Curator Jo Duke said the Prize had, over the years, attracted experienced and high-profile judges and that this year was no exception with Museum of Brisbane Director Renai Grace accepting the challenge to select the winning entries.

Entries close 10 May with finalists announced in June.

Finalist works will be on display in the Caloundra Regional Gallery from 27 August to 10 October.

For more information on this acquisitive art prize visit gallery.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

Key dates:
Entries open: Now Open 
Entries close: 5pm Monday 10 May 2021
Finalists will be announced: 10am Tuesday 15 June 2021
Exhibition dates: 27 August – 10 October 2021
The Winners’ announcements: 23 September 2021

Photo: Judge of the 2020 Sunshine Coast Art Prize Tracy Cooper-Lavery with the winner of the major prize, Natalya Hughes.
Photo credit:  ben vos productions

Source: Sunshine Coast Council Newsletter.

U3A Sunshine Coast AGM 2021 will be held at 10am on Saturday April 17th at the USC’s Lecture Theatre 7, followed by refreshments in the Café C area. President Glyni Cumming extends a warm invitation to members to attend the AGM.

“At this meeting we will confer Life Membership on this year’s nominees, introduce our 2021 bursary recipients and enjoy the opportunity to socialise safely,” President Glyni advised members.  

The two most significant formal business items of an AGM are:

• An election of members for the Management Committee
• Presentation of the annual audited financial statements

Key Points:

• Nomination for Management Committee positions to be received by Friday 12th March.
• The annual audited financial statements will be posted on our website in due course along with the minutes of the  AGM in August 2020.
• Motions from members to be receive by the Secretary at secretary@nullu3asunshine.org.au by Friday March 19.

For more information regarding the AGM please read the President’s letter sent to members here.

In this report:
– Return to U3A classes and activities 2021
–  2021 AGM
– Photography and Video Competition
– Farewell to Val Matthews
– U3A Network Queensland State Conference and AGM
– U3A Code of Conduct
– Management Committee succession planning.

Dear Members,

It has been wonderful to return to U3A classes in Term 1 2021 and see how happy everyone is to be back using both their minds and bodies in mental and physical classes – and having fun at the same time. Our new tutors seem to be enjoying their classes as well. Let’s remember to support them, by turning up on time for enrolled classes, making a positive contribution, and maintaining Covid-safe practices. The threat seems minimal at present but that’s only thanks to the implementation of strong Covid-safe practices. 

Now that Open Day is done and dusted, what’s our next big project? Why our April AGM of course! And if you’re wondering what’s happened to the calendar year, remember last year, the AGM was postponed to August. Sunshine Coast University has already agreed to allow us the use of Lecture Theatre 7 on April 17^th , and we have invited our Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Bartlett to be our guest speaker. As a gerontologist, Professor Bartlett will have a very good understanding of her audience having established the Australasian Centre on Ageing at the University of Queensland!  It will also be the opportunity to present Life Memberships and we have received two very worthy nominations for 2021, for Ernie Bennett and Ann Main. Also, if any members have motions for discussion or voting on at AGM 2021, these will need to be emailed to secretary@nullu3asunshine.org.au by Friday March 12. 

We are delighted to announce that this year we are running a Photography and Video Competition. Our aim is to obtain some excellent material for promoting U3A Sunshine Coast to new retirees. Full details are available in this edition of eVoice.

Vice-President John St. Smith and former President Jim Hales both represented us to farewell Val Matthews, former U3A Sunshine Coast President for 2004-2006. Val’s contribution to our organisation was significant, as she supported the establishment of the University of the Sunshine Coast and successfully lobbied for the provision of our current U3A office and lecture room on the USC campus, Val also led the celebrations of the 20^th anniversary of the foundation of U3A on the Sunshine Coast.  

This year’s U3A Network Qld State Conference and Annual General Meeting is being hosted this year by the U3A Granite Belt on Wednesday 12th May and Thursday 13th May 2021 and conference registrations are now open. The Management Committee has again decided to pay for the conference registrations of the first 10 interested members who apply. 

This is usually a very interesting experience, so do go on line at www.u3aqldconference.org/ and check out the conference details. Members interested in attending can apply to the secretary@nullu3asunshine.og.au

Our organisation has a wonderful Code of Conduct, which tells us all how to treat each other, with words, like “participating in a friendly and positive way”, and “Treating everyone with respect and courtesy and without harassment, bullying or intimidation” and, “Avoiding all forms of discriminatory behaviour in regard to nationality, ethnicity, gender, 
sexuality, culture, religion, age and mental or physical disability.”


We gentle men and women who have reached an age of maturity should not need any reminding to play nicely…

We are fortunate to have a strong team of Management Committee members who each pull their weight and who work together towards consensus, to make the best decisions for the organisation. However, succession planning is part of our commitment to encourage new members to join the team. We are looking for an ex-officio Minutes Secretary, and a Business Development Officer (formerly known as our Grants Officer) and a Membership Officer, especially a person with a caring nature, who would enjoy creating a special connection with members, and following up any concerns or issues. If you feel you are just such a person, I would love to meet with you to discuss the role. 

I hope you continue to have an excellent year with U3A Sunshine Coast. Stay safe, and if you have any queries or concerns, please write to our office at u3aoffice@nullu3asunshine.org.au or call on 54301123 during office hours, 9am to 12 noon Mondays to Fridays.

Glyni Cumming
President U3A Sunshine Coast

Photo: Mary Ann Wright with Treasurer Evonne Walker at the luncheon to mark the retirement of office day leaders and office volunteers.

U3A  members are invited to enter this competition, with the chance to win great prizes while promoting U3A activities and lifestyle pursuits.

Competition guidelines may be viewed and downloaded here.

Entry Form:

Myra Timmerman is excited and honoured to be nominated for the Outstanding Achievement Award in the 2021 Sunshine Coast Council Australia Day Awards.

“I’m so excited, very honoured and very happy to represent all the great tutors and the wonderful inspiration U3A gives to so many people,” Myra said. “Thank you from the heart to the beautiful students who nominated me for this award.” 

The outstanding achievement award recognises an individual or organisation that went above and beyond in 2020, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s award went to Kawana Surf Life Saving Club that made it a priority to keep its staff employed while also supporting their more vulnerable RSL Members, instigating a meal delivery service. Staff and volunteers, in conjunction to local businesses, prepared and delivered meals across a 10 week basis to local RSL members, giving them nutritious meals and someone to talk to during what was a period of isolation for so many.

Twenty people and organisations were nominated for the Award: Kawana SLSC, Stacey Camilleri, Lyndon Davis, Pat Habner, IFYS Limited, Cindy Jensen, Lions Club Mooloolaba Inc, Michele Lipner, Mask Events, RangeCare, Carol Raye, REFOCUS, Sunshine Coast First Aid Volunteers, Sunshine Coast Kindness Pandemic, Sunshine Coast Maker Space, Myra Timmerman, Urban Angels Community Kitchen, Jocelyn Walker, Graham Wilkinson and Benjamin Wishaw.

At the end of Term 4 2020, the four French classes in Caloundra resumed in their new venue, which had a defibrillator.

“It’s no good having a ‘Defib’ on the premises if people don’t know what to do or how to use it, ” explained Tutor Patricia Barry. 

As registered trainers with the Royal Life Saving Society and patrolling Life Savers, Patricia and partner Tony decided to run courses during French language class time in Resuscitation Awareness – in English not in French!

“Most people had never seen a ‘Defib’ in action before and enjoyed working with the manikins and training devices finding out how they work, and how easy they are to use,” Patricia said.

“Everyone agreed that the group scenarios to finish were excellent learning situations. Now I know that if I collapse in class, there should be a good group of competent people to try and save me!

“Congratulations to everyone on completing the course.”  

Photos: Class members show off their Resuscitation Awareness certificates.

Friday Table Tennis players have celebrated the beginning of the Chinese Lunar New Year with presents in Red Envelopes to those who would reach the ages of 60, 72, 84 or 96 this year.

Christelle Thresher, born in the Year of the Cat, prepared and presented the envelopes to mark this important period in Chinese history. When Christelle was growing up they did not celebrate individual birthdays but instead celebrated everyone’s birthday on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, and she wanted to share this celebration with her table tennis friends.

Christelle said she didn’t celebrate Chinese New Year publicly every year. “Next year is the Year of the Tiger so I stay quiet and keep to myself,” she said.

The Chinese Zodiac says those born in the year of the Ox and the Tiger are authoritarian and powerful beings, and confrontation can happen, as their approach to life is very different.

Usually, the Chinese New Year festival period lasts for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year’s eve to the Lantern Festival. This year, it is from February 11 to February 26th.

People born in the year of the Ox are thought of as tireless, patient and extremely confident.  There are Metal, Wood, Earth and Water Oxen, depending on the Ox year of birth.  Ox people all work hard towards a goal, even if it takes a long time to achieve it, and they know how to remain calm in moments of crisis. 

Photo above: Christelle Thresher presents Red Envelopes to Bob Barton and Alan Lillee at Friday Table Tennis.
Photo below: Table Tennis Tutor Allan Blackburn with Richard and Christelle Thresher.

Four of our long term, but ‘retiring’, Office Volunteers were luncheon guests of honour recently at a Thank you Luncheon at the Chancellor Tavern. 

Mary Ann Wright has enjoyed her office work over the past 9 years since she and Ron relocated to the Sunshine Coast, and they have both assisted with registrations at key functions such as our AGM. 

Maureen Tullio assisted in the office for four years, and her passion was working with the computers. She recalls learning all about Excel spreadsheets and use of Microsoft Word at TAFE from another one of our current tutors, Robyn Harm. She also did a champion job at Open Day 2021, taking registrations. 

Jennifer Young has helped on Tuesdays since 2012 when the computer systems were first set up in the office, although she preferred helping members via the telephone in preference to emails. 

Pauline Bound has only given up her Thursday Day Leader role and 10 years in the office because she has so many other commitments, especially with the Queensland Theatre Company, organizing bus trips to their shows, and other community roles, like raising $3000 last year selling daffodils for Queensland Cancer Council. Pauline enjoys her indoor bowls, ukulele playing, and Tutor Ian Cran’s new class on popular music. 

Photo: (Back Row) Secretary Dawne Clark, Maureen Tulio, Rosemary Van Mourik, Jennifer Young.
Front Row: Evonne Walker, Judy Wells, Margaret Nair and Pauline Bound

The U3A Sunshine Chimes group are expanding their repertoire, and they would be very grateful to anyone who has a glockenspiel (or any other barred instruments) they would consider gifting to the group.

The glockenspiel is particularly sought after to add a little bit of magic to one of our pieces.

It’s not too late, there is still room in the group for two more music-loving players on Tuesdays at 10am at Mapleton.

To donate your glockenspiel or for more information about  the Chimes group please contact Wendy Turton at wrturton@nullhotmail.com

In response to our recent advertised appeal, one of our choir members, Carina Frank has stepped up to be the new Piano Accompanist. Thank you, Carina. 

The choir was invited to perform recently to farewell William Mungomery. William was an interested member of U3A, a member of a discussion group, and a contributor to the review of the Constitution and discussion at our AGMs. 

Photo: Johan and Carina Frank.