Our next Mini Vinnies meeting will be held on Friday, 25 October where we will be organising our activities for Term 4. The Mini Vinnies Social Justice Day will be held at the Australian Catholic University on Friday 22 November (Week 6). There are a limited number of places available, therefore the children who have shown the most commitment throughout the year and attended the most meetings will be invited to attend this excursion. More information will follow closer to the time. Mini Vinnies will also be organising St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hampers at the end of the term.

This week, 13-19 October 2019, is Anti-Poverty Week. The purpose of Anti-Poverty Week is to support the Australian community to have an increased understanding of poverty and to take action collectively to end it.

https://www.antipovertyweek.org.au/

The Pens Against Poverty Writing Competition is coordinated by Anglicare and is an official activity of Anti-Poverty Week. It aims to heighten empathy among readers and writers on the topic of poverty. The theme for this year is ‘Courage in Kindness’.

Eight St Thomas More’s students submitted well-constructed and thought-provoking poems and short stories for the competition. Well done to Annabelle Graham (Year 5), Tara Holmes (Year 5), Nicholas Crews (Year 4), Riley Hambrook (Year 4), Dominic Shoebridge (Year 4), Leah Shoebridge (Year 4) Isobel Curcio (Year 4) along with a special entry from Ava White (Year 4) for dedicating your gifts of creativity and good-heartedness towards the global social justice issue of poverty. Unfortunately, our school was advised that winners have now been selected by the judges and our entrants weren’t successful on this occasion.

Tara Holmes’s entry is below:

 ANOTHER DAY

It was another day of learning, another day of school

When the new girl arrived, she looked like a fool.

She didn’t have a backpack but rather a plastic bag,

I looked much tidier than her but I don’t mean to brag.

Her hair was a mess, knotty and unbrushed

As for her books, they were crumpled, torn or crushed.

Her teeth were all yellow and her nails full of dirt

And she didn’t even have the school logo on her shirt.

She was very very thin and very very shy

And as she stood in front of the class she looked as though she’d cry.

At lunch she sat alone on the cold hard ground

And all she had to eat were some crackers she had found.

During class she sat at the back and was not very smart

But although nobody knew, deep down she had a kind heart.

All the other kids didn’t treat her well

One kid even tripped her and so, she fell.

I sort of felt sorry for her as she walked out of the gates,

Not having any money, not having any mates.

I realise today that I should have been less cruel

But it’s too late now she’s moved to a new school.

Feel welcome to visit or contact me on 6249 8869 or send an email to sonja.mingay@cg.catholic.edu.au .

Sonja Mingay
School Chaplain

Work hours: Thu 11am-3pm, Fri 9am-3pm