Community Calendar

This week's photographer's choice photo is of Cathy James and her dog Heidi who was voted people's choice dog of the year. (Damjan Janevski) 388318_01

Girl Guides

Brimbank District Girl Guides is inviting locals to come and try guides before committing to join. Girls aged 5-18 and adults are invited to enjoy the fun and friendship of guiding.

■Carolyn 0418 536 084

Sunshine Repair Cafe

Do you enjoy fixing things or have skills in mending clothing and textiles? Kororoit Neighbourhood House is looking for volunteer repairers for the newly launched Repair Café in Brimbank. Events happen once a month and are an opportunity to meet others in the community and share your skills while helping fix broken household items.

sunshinerepaircafe@kcnh.org.au, or 0413 434 082

Al-Anon Family Groups

Al-Anon Family Groups is offering help and hope to anyone living in an unhappy home because a loved one drinks too much. There are no contracts to sign, just a voluntary donation to cover room rental. Confidentiality is protected. Confidential meetings held at the Sydenham Neighbourhood Centre (rear of library) every Wednesday from 1-2:30pm. New members welcome. No appointment necessary.

Card games

Love playing the card game 500? Card games are played every Monday from 7-10pm at the Sunshine RSL offices, 99 Dickson Street, Sunshine.

■Leisa, 0425 768 808

Keilor Day View Club

The Keilor Day View Club meets at 11am on the first Thursday of each month at Green Gully Soccer Club, Green Gully Reserve, Club House Place, Keilor Downs. The club is inviting locals to come along and enjoy a meal and fun with a friendly group of ladies.

■Robyn, 0425 387 880

Palliative volunteers needed

Mercy Palliative Care is looking for volunteers to visit palliative care patients in their homes to offer social support.

■9313 5700 or MPCVolunteerCoordinators@mercy.com.au

Deer Park Lions Club

Deer Park Lions Club is looking for new members. It holds dinner meetings on the first Wednesday of every month at the Deer Park Senior Citizens Club, 119 Station Road, Deer Park.

■Michael, 0417 307 572

Sunshine Community Brass

Sunshine Community Brass is looking for trumpet and percussion players to join its vibrant band of musicians. With more than 90 years of history, the band rehearses at 45 Furlong Road, North Sunshine, on Tuesdays from 7.30pm.

■Andrew, 0419 444 620

St Albans senior citizens

St Albans Senior Citizens group meet at the centre at the corner of Alfrieda and William streets, St Albans, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9am-2pm. Annual membership: $10. Cost: $1 entry on attendance day.

■Roma, 0435 991 064

Caroline Springs Rotary

The Rotary Club of Caroline Springs is inviting new guests to join its meetings in person or via zoom. Meetings are held every Wednesday at the Western Emergency Relief Network in Ravenhall from 7pm.

rotarycarolinesprings@gmail.com

Sunrise Social Groups

GenWest Sunrise Social Groups are currently seeking new members for their Melton, Brimbank and Wyndham programs. The free groups are organised by Genwest and provide a social space for women, gender diverse and nonbinary people, who have a disability, chronic health issues and/or mental health challenges.

■https://genwest.org.au/what-we-do/health-wellbeing-programs/

Seniors lunch

Deer Park Branch of National Seniors Australia hosts a lunch on the third Friday of each month at different venues. The group also arrange activities each month, sometimes to the theatre, morning melodies, train or bus trip. The group also holds a general meeting at The Club in Caroline Springs on the first Wednesday of every month at 1.30pm. Locals are invited to join in for lunch or just attend the meeting and make new friends.

■Pamela, pcostello46@hotmail.com

Business workshop

Brimbank council is holding a practical workshop is designed to help small business owners plan their marketing for the coming year on March 5. It is tailored to suit small businesses and provides a lean approach to marketing. This is a hybrid event so please indicate when registering whether you will be attending ‘in person’ or ”virtually’.

■https://ow.ly/7l9450QBwxv

Smart garden

In this My Smart Garden event, Edible Eden Design’s Karen Sutherland will teach you how you can create habitat for animals in your own garden, how to increase your garden’s biodiversity, and the importance of garden biodiversity. The event is online on March 5 from 7pm.

■https://ow.ly/A7oA50QBwyL

Food, culture, community

Delight your taste buds and be inspired. Embrace the richness of culture, diversity, traditions and community through the universal language of food. Join ‘Melburnian of the Year’ Kon Karapanagiotidis, Jaclyn Crupi, Hamed Allahyari and Nornie Bero for an evening of conversation in the opening night of the Brimbank Writers and Readers Festival on March 14 from 6.30-8pm.

■https://ow.ly/nYVW50QBwA9

Garden show

Team up with your neighbours and friends and showcase the fruits and vegies triumphs from your gardens at the annual flower and garden show hosted by our local gardening experts from the Sunshine Golden Age Garden Club. The club is seeking entries from community members to bring their best flowers, fruits, vegetables, pot plants, photographs, cookery, handcrafts to enter into the colourful display. Community welcome to come and view the displays and share your ideas with fellow garden enthusiasts. Free admission and refreshments available.

■https://ow.ly/RUft50QBwIn

Reusable goods

Declutter your home, help someone in need and support a more sustainable future by being part of the Brimbank Reusable Goods Drop-off Day. Brimbank residents can conveniently drop-off their unwanted household items for reuse at this no charge event on April 20 from 9am-2pm at West Sunshine Community Centre.

■https://ow.ly/kQCw50QBwKU

Caroline Springs Rotary

The Rotary Club of Caroline Springs is inviting new guests to join its meetings in person or via zoom. Meetings are held every Wednesday at the Western Emergency Relief Network in Ravenhall from 7pm.

rotarycarolinesprings@gmail.com

Community singing group

If you love to sing, come join the Melton Singers. The group rehearses regularly and also performs at aged care facilities. The group is very relaxed and sings songs mainly from the 1960s and 70s. It meets Tuesdays at 10am.

■ Val, 0418 667 150

Rotary Club of Melton

The Rotary Club of Melton invites new guests to join its meetings, held on the first and third Tuesday of every month, 6pm at Tabcorp Park, Melton.

meltonrotary@gmail.com

Melton Trauma Teddies

Melton Trauma Teddies are seeking volunteers to assist with knitting, stuffing, or stitching teddy-bears that go to children in their time of need.

■ Jean 0412 931 498

Rose Carers Of Maddingley Park

The Rose Carers meet Wednesdays from 10am-noon at Maddingley Park, corner of Grant and Taverner streets, Bacchus Marsh, to maintain two beautiful rose gardens. New volunteers are always welcome – with or without experience.

■ Elaine Greenhall, 0418 171 119, or 0400 052 857