Bethany hosts a series of annual events that enhance the work we do in the community. We acknowledge the generous support we receive from our Community partners to make these events happen.

• Geelong Father of the Year Award (Sept)
• The 2008 Bethany Arthouse Film Festival
• Bay FM Bethany Giving Tree Appeal (Nov- Dec)
• Bethany Children’s Christmas Party (Dec)
  

2008 Geelong Father of the Year Award

Tim and Sam Lane                           Andrew King and Olivia with MC Ian Cover

Photos courtesy of Ferne Millen Photography

About the Father of the Year Award

What makes your dad special? Children in the Greater Geelong region had the opportunity to nominate their father (grandfather, uncle or someone who is like a father to them) for the annual Geelong Father of the Year Award.

Now in its nineth year the award is a partnership between Bethany Community Support, Geelong Advertiser and the Rotary Club of Geelong and is proudly sponsored by the Bendigo Bank.

The winning dad, Andrew King and his family will receive a range of fabulous prizes and all nominated dads had their names published in the Fathers day edition of the Geelong Advertiser on Friday 5 September. Olivia, who nominated her dad, also receives a prize of a $200 Bendigo Bank Saving Account. All the schools who had participating students also went in the draw for a special schools prize of a video/DVD player which was won this year by St Leonards Primary School.

Julie Stefanoff Executive Manager Community Relations presents, School Captains Georgia and Jesse, St Leonard's Primary School with the video/DVD player donated by Maxwell Collins.

The award celebrates fatherhood through children's eyes and acknowledges the important role men play in families. The Award also increases awareness of Bethany's Men and Family Relationships Program and compliments the work done in local primary schools through the PAKS (Parents and Kids) program.

The winning dad receives;

• travel vouchers for the family for return travel from Geelong to Echuca, courtesy of V/Line

• 2 nights accomodation in a family unit at the Campaspe Lodge , courtesy of the Echuca Hotel

• dinner voucher to the echuca Hotel Restaurant valued at $100

• a family pass for a one hour cruise on The Pride of the Murray or PS Canberra, courtesy of Murray River Paddlesteamers P/L

• a family pass to the Sharps Magic Movie House and Penny Arcade, courtesy of Sharps Magic Movie House and Penny Arcade

• a family pass to the historic Port of Echuca, courtesy of the Port of Echuca

• a 12 month Family pass to the City of Greater Geelong Swim Sport and Leisure Centres, courtesy of the City of Greater Geelong

• a framed family portrait awarded by the Geelong Advertiser

• a pamper pack valued at $250 courtesy of Jayk, Body Salon for Men

• a plaque to mark the occasion presented by the Rotary Club of Geelong

For any further information please contact

Julie Stefanoff - 5245 2818 or

jstefanoff@bethany.org.au

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Proudly sponsored by

Proud sponsor of the Schools Prize

The 2008 Bethany Arthouse Film Festival

The Bethany Arthouse Film Festival is run in partnership with the Geelong Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) and has a loyal following of local film buffs.

The Festival aims to bring a broad range of arthouse films to the Geelong community and in 2008, for the 11th Annual Bethany Arthouse Film Festival, we once again present films from around the world .

This years program included

18 September - Candy

A contemporary love story of startling beauty, Candy tells the story of a young artist whose lust for life takes her to the edge of sanity.

Dan is a sometime-poet lost in love with Candy, together they find in heroin a path to limitless pleasure.

But as addiction takes hold they lose the very thing they sought.

Candy opens the door on a dream vision that will have meaning for all those who have been dazzled by the beauty of the world.

Starring stellar Australian cast including Abbie Cornish, Heath Ledger, Geoffery Rush and Noni Hazelhurst.

Rating MA.

3 April 2008 - The Italian -

Six-year old Vanya is considered lucky in the children’s home; he will be adopted by a loving Italian couple.

Yet Vanya longs to find his own mother, so he embarks on a mysterious and amazing journey with a determination rarely seen at such a tender age.

It is a dangerous world for a child and Vanya must suddenly take responsibility for his own life.

Vanya must triumph against adversity as he makes his own way on his search for his real mother.

Official Russian entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2006 Academy Awards.

Russian with English subtitles. Rating M.

5 June 2008 - The Lives of Others -

An intense thriller begins in Berlin five years before the fall of the Berlin Wall and traces the gradual disillusionment of State Security Captain Gerd Wiesler, who works for the Stasi Secret Police.

A powerful minister, who takes a fancy to beautiful actress Christa-Maria Sieland puts Weisler up to spying on her and her playwright partner.

When you wiretap, you learn all sorts of things, perhaps even things you weren't supposed to know. He comes to increasingly empathise with the couple he spends so much time eavesdropping on, leading to complex and shattering results.

Winner 2006 Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film

German with English subtitles. Rating MA.

3 July 2008 - Black Book -

The final years of the Second World War finds Rachel Stein taking refuge in rural Holland. Once a popular and wealthy singer, she has been waiting out the war separated from her family and only a moment away from being caught by the Gestapo.

Along with other Jews she is promised an escape into Allied territory with her family but they are ambushed and her family are murdered.

Embittered by the memory of the murder, Rachel decides to become a Dutch resistance fighter to seek revenge against the Nazis.

 Official selection for Venice Film Festival 2006 and Toronto International Film Festival 2006.

Dutch with English subtitles. Rating MA.

7 August 2008 - Running with Scissors -

A hilarious and poignant film based on the memoirs of Augusten Burrows.

Growing up in the 1970’s was living a middle-class existence with an alcoholic father and a bi-polar mother, an unpublished poet with delusions of becoming famous.

When his parents divorce, Augusten’s mother sends him to live with her wildly unorthodox psychiatrist Dr Finch and his eccentric extended family.

Running with Scissors chronicles Augusten’s survival under the most extraordinary of circumstances.

Starring Annette Bening, Ralph Fiennes, Alec Baldwin and Gwyneth paltrow.

English language. Rating MA.

All films screen at 8pm in the Ford Theatre at Geelong Performing Arts Centre, 50 Little Malop Street, Geelong and tickets are now available through the box office - Phone 5225 1200 or at www.gpac.org.au.

Season Tickets

$70 per person $42 concession

Single Tickets

$16 per person $10 concession

Provides entry into a single film on the festival program.

Box Office hours:

Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

Saturday 9am - 1 pm

1 hour prior to each screening

Proceeds from the Bethany Arthouse Film Festival have been used to fund a range of practical needs for Bethany's clients. These have included school uniforms, shoes and reading glasses for children, swimming classes for clients through the disability program, play equipment and much more.

View 2007 Bethany Arthouse Film Festival Brochure to see the films screened in 2007.

View 2008 Bethany Arthouse Film Festival Brochure.

Proudly partered by
Geelong Performing Arts Centre (GPAC)

Launch of the 2008 Bay FM Bethany Giving Tree Appeal

Friday 21 November 3.30pm Geelong Waterfront adjacent to the Carousel

For the past 6 years more than 4000 children, teenagers and families in the Geelong region, who have experienced a difficult year, have received some Christmas cheer through the Bay FM Bethany Giving Tree Appeal.

Bay FM and Bethany have created a unique event that is focussed on giving locally on the shared understanding that supporting the community is a collective responsibility including everyone. Our motto is that the community is everyone's business as we all share the same backyard.

This years event will be launched on Friday 16 November at the Geelong Waterfront .

Bethany have formed a unique partnership, with eleven local community service organisations who work with families, children, adolescents and adults who are significantly disadvantaged and marginalised and who often face significant hardship in day to day living.

These organisations are: Barwon Youth,; Family Focus Counselling; Time for Youth ; Bethany Community Support; Community Connections; Glastonbury Child and Family Services; MacKillop Family Services; St Laurence; Salvation Army - Kardinia Women's and Men's services; Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative; and Women's Refuge and Outreach Services

A number of public Giving Christmas Trees are placed around key sites in the community, such as Bendigo Bank branches, KFC outlets, Kevin Paisley Fashion Eyewear, and City of Greater Geelong Customer Service Centres. The community can place a gift under the tree for a child, family or an adolescent who may not otherwise receive a gift on Christmas morning.

The appeal also encourages and invites local businesses to consider placing a Giving Tree in their workplace for their employees to donate gifts. This has grown over the past three years as businesses state that they want to know that their giving is going locally.

All gifts are collected by local Rotary and Lions Club volunteers and the generous support of Josie’s Transport and are sorted at Bethany’s office in North Geelong. The eleven community agencies pick up the gifts and distribute them to the children and families who they support on a daily basis.

The generosity of individuals and local business through this appeal is to be encouraged and with the cooperation of our business partners and the coordination of 11 community organisations across Geelong, the appeal continues to provide a unique service to those in need at Christmas time.

It's a real show of community spirit!

To be involved in future Bay FM Bethany Giving Tree Appeals contact Julie Stefanoff on 5245 2818

Bethany Children's Christmas Party

The Children's Christmas party is for all families involved in Bethany Community Supports programs that have experienced a difficult year.

The invitation-only event is an opportunity for the kids and parents to celebrate Christmas and meet Santa who presents each child with a special Christmas gift (generously donated by Target Australia).

Each year, more than 300 children walk away with a smile on their face at the end of the day!

This event is made possible thanks to the support of local businesses and individuals who not only provide the monetary means to make this event happen, but attend the event themselves and enjoy the day.

Given the nature of the event, no publicity is sort and donors remain anonymous, making their contributions even more significant.

A parent who attended a previous party with her son wrote to Bethany. Her words echoed those of other parents attending:

'I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the Christmas Party. My son and I really needed something happy to happen and we had the best time at your party and he loved the presents and rides… it was the most relaxed we have been for a while … we raved about it for days.

That's all we could talk about. Thank you Bethany and especially all the people who gave up their time and energy to give my son and I a great time. It has given me the biggest hug'

If you would like to support the Children's Christmas party contact jstefanoff@bethany.org.au

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