Ad Alta Magazine 2020 Issue 33

Ad Alta Virtute

The St Joseph’s College Geelong Alumni

Mark Beretta

A message from the Principal

Like all 85-year-olds, St Joseph’s has been through some challenging times. Few have had the impact on our teaching and learning like the current COVID-19 crisis. From the beginning of term two almost all our staff and students have been working remotely. Classes are still held each day according to the same timetable but brought together online.

In some ways adjusting to flexible and remote learning has been the easy part of our response to the COVID-19 crisis. We are feeling the impact in a multitude of ways. Many of our families are experiencing severe financial hardship, some students are struggling without the formal and informal support that comes through being at school with teachers and classmates and the workload for staff as they learn to interact with students and facilitate learning in new ways is challenging.

I am delighted to report however that the first few months of remote and flexible learning have gone better than we could ever have imagined. In the last Ad Alta I wrote that “St Joseph’s graduates of today are also required to think critically, collaborate, communicate, be creative and flexible and be literate a range of areas including Information Technology and media”. The demands of learning remotely is seeing boys develop many of these requirements more quickly than they might otherwise have. We are seeing them becoming more active learners with more control of their own learning and more capable of individual and collaborative problem solving, things which we know will stand them in good stead into the future.

In tough times like this support for each other in the community is important and we are seeing examples

of this at school already. Without students to feed, our canteen staff and food technology assistants have been planning and preparing meals which have been distributed through local charities and to families in need within the school.

Of course, one of the really disappointing things brought by COVID-19, has been the cancellation or postponement of most events, including those that bring our extended community, including Old Collegians, together. On the bright side however, there will be opportunities for people to gather ‘virtually’ and some other new opportunities that no doubt will arise.

Last June more than 800 individual donors contributed just over $500,000 to support the building of the Westcourt Gymnasium and the extension of the Peter Cannon Performing Arts Centre. This year we have started to see the results. The Westcourt Gymnasium was formally opened and blessed in February this year and the Performing Arts Centre is expected to be completed in September. Once again I want to thank all those who contributed, your generosity directly benefits current and future Joey’s boys.

The Year 12 class of 2019 produced outstanding results which we celebrated at our annual awards ceremony in February. Our Guest of honour at the ceremony was Fr Peter O’Neill SJOC 1980. The Dux of the College was Ethan Near who achieved an ATAR of 99.9. Pleasingly we also had over 13% (29 students) achieve ATARs greater than 90, with an impressive 17 students over 95. Perhaps most pleasing was that our average ATAR rose by 1.3 points reflecting improved achievement across the year level. Earlier this year Butler won the

House Swimming Carnival and Brophy were victorious in the House Athletics. The now well-established Alumni Art Exhibition was again a success with exhibitors including Darcy Berry SJOC 2014, Josh Cole SJOC 2013, Jack Paterson SJOC 2012, Connor Seaton 2013 and Peter S Hosie SJOC 1963.

This magazine records many reasons for celebration in this, our 85th year. Sincere thanks to those Old Collegians who have contributed articles. They are inspiring and provide insight into something of what it means to be a graduate of St Joseph’s.

At St Joseph’s we write and talk a lot about ‘Ad Alta

God Bless

Tony Paatsch

College Principal

Virtute’ and striving for the highest and we regularly remind students and families that we aspire to excellence in academic spiritual, cultural and personal endeavours. We also emphasise that we want our students to be globally connected citizens, committed to supporting others and standing in solidarity with the marginalised. It is truly wonderful to read about graduates who embody and are exemplars of these very things.

News from the President

A warm welcome to the Class of 2019 who join the SJOCA as life members. We hope you have made many lifelong friendships throughout your journey and you continue your connection for many years to come through the Old Collegians’ Association. It is great to see some new faces and young members taking up roles on the committee and we are always interested in adding to the SJOCA committee.

The past 12 months have provided many engagement opportunities for our Old Collegians and friends of the College. On Sunday 15 March we celebrated 25 years of the Old Collegians’ Golf Day. Held once again at 13th Beach Golf Links Barwon Heads, 160 players took part in an Ambrose-style team competition. The conditions on the day were ideal and the award winning courses in perfect shape making for some great scores. We were very lucky with the timing of the day; as the following week all golf events were cancelled due to COVID-19. We thank all our generous sponsors including our major sponsor David Bowles and his team at Associated Cold Tread Tyres. Thank you for your outstanding support over many years. The annual Golf Day is a major fundraiser for our Old Collegians’ Association with all money raised generously going towards the St Joseph’s College Bursary Fund. It was great to see so many new players as we continue to try and grow the golf day and this year you helped raise just over $16,000 on the day. We look forward to seeing many of you again at our event in 2021.

The Annual Reunion in 2019 held at the College on 25 May, had over 200 Old Collegians attend. The night is always filled with great memories and laughs from times past. The night started with a tour of the College and many past students commented on the development of the school facilities and in particular the Paul Tobias Centre.

The Boarders Reunion commenced in 2017 and is now a regular event on our calendar. On 8 November 2019, Boarders were joined by day students from 1949-1965 for a luncheon at the College. Old Collegians and partners commenced the day with a tour of the school led by the current students. Those who had not been to the school for a long time were amazed with the development of the school and the new facilities. We were delighted to hear from our guest speaker, Old Collegian John Callahan, who recalled fond memories of life as a boarder, along with Nilo Pivetta who launched the Br Mark (Stan) McCabe Bursary Fund. This event continues to be very popular with guests travelling from interstate and it was great to have so many former students attend.

The Mass for Deceased Old Collegians, Staff and Benefactors was held on Saturday 9 November in the College Chapel with Fr Prakash and afterwards those in attendance enjoyed morning tea in the Paul Tobias Centre staffroom. The weekend was capped off with the 50-year reunion of the class of 1969. One Old Collegian

surprised us by wearing his original school jumper to the gathering. Guests toured the College and reminisced over old times.

As in past years, we donated $20,000 to the College Bursary Program, which assists families in need with the opportunity to send their boy to St Joseph’s College. We also contributed $150,000 to the Every Boy, Every Dream Capital Appeal. It was great to see the support of the St Joseph’s community and the total funds raised was in excess of $500,000. These funds will go to a Multipurpose built Gymnasium facility at Westcourt Campus, and the extension of the Peter Cannon Performing Arts Centre. Congratulations to all those involved. Another $15,000 was donated to St Joseph’s Cricket Club towards the renovation of O’Driscol Oval.

We continue to try and build our database of members and it is important that you keep your contact details up to date. Please notify the College if you change your contact details.

Thank you to all committee members for their dedicated commitment to the Association and to St Joseph’s. Also thanks to Kristen Gleeson and Julie Cole for their continued support and commitment to SJOCA.

Whilst many of our scheduled reunions for 2020 have now been placed on hold due to the current restrictions brought on by COVID-19, we hope to be in the position to run these later in the year.

I wish you all the best and hope you and your loved ones are safe and well.

Best wishes

Justin O ,Brien President

Keeping Connected

Josh Spence (SJOCA 2005)

Josh graduated from Arizona State University in 2010, with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies focusing on Education and Sociology. That same year, he was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 9th round and, little did he know, 12 months later he would be pitching in the Major Baseball League.

Although he is done playing, his passion for Baseball is still very strong as he continues to learn the game from a different lens. What brings him joy is using his experience both academically and on the field to become a steppingstone for the younger generation, so they can to achieve the dreams of playing baseball at their highest level.

Josh has recently returned to Australia to take on the role of Pitching Coach for The Giants in Adelaide.

Harry Wilson (SJOCA 1953)

It has been a long time between visits for past Boarder Harry Wilson. In fact, over 50 years! It was a joy to show Harry around the College last October and wonderful to welcome he and his wife Bernadette to the annual Boarders’ Reunion held in November.

Peter Madden (SJOCA 1973)

Past St Joseph’s Old Collegian President Peter Madden returned to the College in February this year to present on behalf of the Association the SJOCA Citizenship Award at our Mt Sion Awards Ceremony. Peter served as President for an outstanding 19 years!

Celebrating

College Foundation

I would firstly like to begin by wishing you and your loved ones the best of health and wellbeing during this time of uncertainty. If you’re like me, you may find yourself working from home, concerned about older relative and friends, home schooling your children and of course social distancing. All of these things put together are unprecedented. The purpose of this report is to review our activities during 2019, however, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the current remarkable situation.

As to 2019, the major undertaking for the year was the Every Boy, Every Dream campaign run over the early part of June and culminating in the fundraising event held 18 June.

The campaign was initiated to raise a portion of the funding from the College community for the construction of the multi-purpose Gymnasium at the Westcourt Campus and for the extension to the Performing Arts Centre at the main campus – Edmund Rice Campus.

A unique approach was taken to this fundraising activity which utilised the power of social media to communicate the urgent need for the expansion of facilities to accommodate current and future students. Through the various communication channels such as Facebook, Instagram, print, media, radio, banners and flags, the Foundation reached out to the College community for help.

The response from the College Community was remarkable. And the funding target of $500,000 was reached. This was assisted through the generosity of a matching donor program, where every dollar raised was quadrupled by the matching donors. The St Joseph’s Old Collegians’ Association was a significant donor to the campaign, contributing $150,000.

The positivity toward the campaign and the College generally was reflected in the number of donors contributing to the program. Officially, according to the numbers recorded on our website, some 800 donors made a contribution. However, the true numbers are much higher as student contributions, College Board, College Leadership and College Foundation were put in as a single donation. Realistically, this number would be around 1000. A remarkable answer to our call to action.

As the year came to a close, we took the opportunity to celebrate with Foundation members and guests at our annual dinner. We reflected upon what has been a big year in 2019 and to outline some ideas for the following year. 2020 will see us commemorate 85 years in the school’s history and the 25th year of the College Foundation.

Our annual dinner was highlighted by the warm contributions by our guest speakers Maureen and Mark Zampatti, talking with passion and emotion

about their family’s deep connection to the College. We heard from Bernie and Louise Madden who spoke about how the school has positively impacted their family through the education of their four boys. They also spoke with great spirit of their motivation for establishing the Madden Family Bursary to support the education of a Joey’s boy into the future.

The prime role of the Foundation committee is to be custodian of the funds entrusted to it by its members and by the broader school community. I am pleased to report that funds under management currently continues to grow with a mix of investments including property and share portfolios.

Foundation membership and the McNeil Society are the two areas for growth that we wish to focus on for 2020 as we celebrate the Silver Anniversary of the Foundation. At the time of our 2019 Annual Foundation Dinner, membership stood at 175 and our McNeill Society Membership stood at 27.

We will call on the existing members to be Foundation champions as we strive to increase membership of both the Foundations and the McNeil Society throughout 2020.

The other significant activity to be coordinated by the College Foundation during 2020 will be the Annual Giving program whereby we call on the kindness and generosity of the College Community to assist those students from families who are facing difficult financial circumstances.

With the unfolding situation across the world, this year’s Annual Giving program will focus heavily on providing some assistance to boys of families within the College Community facing financial stress at this time. This is a difficult time for many and we ask that if you could support other families through the combined effort of the Annual Giving process, please do so. No gift is too small and combined, every gift will have a lasting impact on our boys and families.

Finally, I would like to thank the current Foundation Committee for all of your great work during the year and for the ongoing commitment and passion for the school. Also, to the Community and Development team at the College, many thanks for your dedication to providing continuing opportunities for members of the community to maintain connection to the school.

I wish everybody a safe 2020.

Paul McNamara Foundation Chair

Philanthropy at St Joseph’s College is shaping the present and future

The power of the Foundation comes through the College Community

The St Joseph’s College Foundation, established in 1995 is a significant stakeholder in the College and is proud to make regular contributions to quality facility upgrades and further learning opportunities for its students. Our goal is to implement a range of successful initiatives to generate ongoing income and grow a diversified portfolio of investments to provide long term financial growth. The Foundation acknowledges the diversity of current families and past students, that add to the rich tapestry of our College Community.

our boys learning environment. It gives every boy the opportunity to ful from the College’s staff, learning environment and programs to “Strive for the Highest”.

Our Mission

To provide ongoing financial support to St Joseph’s College to ensure its initiatives can deliver the best Catholic education for boys in Geelong. Every gift, no matter the size, has a positive influence

Foundation Committee

Chairperson Paul McNamara

Treasurer Steve Madden

y Kristen Gleeson

Secretary Kristen Gleeson

General Committee Warick Brown

General Committee Kevin Costa

General Committee

General Committee Lucy Dripps

General Committee Roland Mrak

General Committee Kylie Oliver

General Committee Kylie Oliver

General Committee Joe

General Committee Joe Virgona

General Committee Maureen Zampatti

General Maureen Zampatti

Building Works

In December 2019, the College completed the construction of a Gymnasium at the Westcourt Campus, providing much-needed indoor sports facilities and wet weather timetable space. It also enables full year assemblies for some 336 Year 9 boys and staff to be conducted indoors, freeing up other spaces within the campus previously utilised for such gatherings. The facility consists of a single basketball court, a circuit training room, two classrooms, storage area, maintenance shed and amenities. The total cost of the project was $3.96M and was also kindly supported by the very successful Every Boy, Every Dream capital fundraising appeal.

During 2019, the refurbishment of the Edmund Rice Campus food technology room was also completed at a cost of approximately $290K. To accommodate growing student numbers, an existing old science classroom was converted into a new food tech space which can accommodate a class of 20 students.

The O’Driscol Oval was declared unfit for sporting activities during 2019 due to the lack of grass and wide cracks in the surface. With the assistance of the St Joseph’s Cricket Club and St Joseph’s Old Collegians Association, the College has installed an irrigation system on the oval.

The College is conscious of the need to reduce our carbon footprint and proceeded with the installation

Westcourt Gym mulitpurpose classrooms.

of an 85kW system at the Westcourt Campus. The financial benefit from this solar power system will begin to take effect in only four years.

Works are currently well underway for the extension to the Peter Cannon Performing Arts Centre (PAC). The anticipated completion date for this project is August 2020. The works involve an extension to the existing cantilever section over the quadrangle. Upon completion, the seating capacity of the PAC will be increased from 260 to 350, thus enabling a full year level assembly to be staged in the facility. The cost of this project will be approximately $1.3M and once again a portion of the costs for this project are being supported by the Every Boy, Every Dream capital fundraising appeal.

Designs have been finalised for the building of a Pavilion on Carey Oval with the College planning to go out to tender in the first half of 2020. This project will provide much-needed male and female changeroom facilities in this part of the College. The design also incorporates a kitchenette and classroom learning space. The cost of the project is anticipated to be approximately $1.3M.

Andrew Dowd Business Manager

Alumni Art Exhibition

Alumni Exhibitors

Connor Seaton (SJOC 2013)

The Art rooms at school had this air of familiarity and substance that stood apart from anywhere else in the school. The smell of paper, paint, ink and vinyl. The high ceilings and heavy doors. Those art rooms are where I took refuge amidst the relative absurdity of adolescence.

And despite not really understanding the importance of what I was learning and working towards at the time, as soon as I finished school, I just found myself compelled to keep conveying myself through the photos that I took and the art I would do in my journals (now with 50% more annotation!).

Having the support of my teachers, family and peers, fostered in me a desire to explore life and my perception of it, through art. A need to constantly observe, learn, practice and create.

So that’s what I do.

Darcy Berry (SJOC 2014)

After graduating from St Joseph’s College, I went on to study Graphic & Digital Design at the Academy of Design Melbourne, sub-majoring in Visual Arts. I met inspiring creatives who influenced me and gave me something to admire, something to aim for in life; to chase a career down the creative rabbit hole, ensuring that I had made the correct choice of direction in my career path.

Apart from the networking at university, the best thing I took away from it was adopting my own creative style, giving me the confidence to put on my own art shows and self-published art zine titled Conscript, combining

visual art and live music. These events were exciting as music became the main inspiration for my work, leading me to create several album cover designs and countless gig posters for the Melbourne underground music scene.

Nowadays, I have moved into the fashion world, working at the Cotton On Group, designing for the clothing label Factorie. It is a job which I truly enjoy as I learn under the guidance of inspiring professionals, filling my days creating artworks that become clothes which are purchased and worn around the world.

My time spent at SJC seems like a lifetime ago… I guess it was. A lot happens when you leave high school, your life truly starts to unfold. It’s nice to look back on my experience of it all and reflect on the great friends I made and the wonderful incredible art department that helped me become who I am today.

Jack Paterson (SJOC 2012)

Jack balances his energy and time between working as a labourer in marine construction, studying at Deakin University, and making works in his studio for solo and group shows around Geelong and Melbourne.

In 2009, Jack attended St Joseph’s College and graduated in 2014. Following his secondary education, Jack commenced a Diploma of Visual Arts at RMIT with a focus on drawing, printmaking and sculpture. Currently he is studying a Bachelor of Arts at Deakin University, majoring in Visual Arts with a minor in Philosophy.

Jack says that he learnt more during his time at TAFE and in the construction industry, than at university, and has been applying knowledge and skills he has learnt there into his studio practise. In his spare time,

Jack has been studying and researching artworks and techniques of Old Masters in order to improve on his painting and drawing skillset.

Josh Cole (SJOC 2013)

My initial interest in Architecture began in Year 12, whilst studying Visual Communication at St Joseph’s College. Currently, I am in my final semester of studying a Bachelor of Design (Architecture)/Construction Management (Honors) at Deakin University.

Engaging in the profession beyond my studies, attending lectures, talks, and helping run the ‘Real Lecture’ series at Deakin University has been very rewarding. In 2018, I spent six months in Copenhagen as part of a university exchange program, and I hope to have the opportunity to work there in the future.

Whilst studying, I have been fortunate to work part-time at Irons McDuff Architecture for the past 5 years, which has complemented my study through applying learnt principles to practice.

Peter Shane Hosie (SJOC 1963)

My interest in art was always my passion from my early teenage years, working mostly in oil paint, creating landscape, portrait and floral artworks.

While attending St Joseph’s College as a boarder in the sixties, my mother sent me all the art materials that I needed, such as easels, oil paints, brushes, turpentine and general artist’s paraphernalia. I usually painted

on Sundays after Mass, or in the late afternoon as we were free to enjoy our own activities as we liked. Unfortunately, after viewing some of my paintings, a prominent and eminent artist declared to my mother that I had no aptitude and was lacking talent, stating I should never make art my occupation and to endeavour to get a real career in life.

On my return to St Joseph’s from school holidays, I immediately discarded all my canvasses, brushes, oil paints etc. into the rubbish bin and never painted or drew again for 49 years (1963- 2012).

It was only after a friend suggested I should try once again did I consider returning to art. I did so at the Art School at the Sandy Beach Centre, Sandringham, much to my satisfaction and enjoyment. The great pity is that I have had no formal training at all, something that I will regret all my life.

Calling All Creatives! Join the Exhibition in 2021

Have your work displayed in our gallery at our next exhibition. Open to all past students in creative industries. Contact: Julie Cole. Phone: 5226 8149. Email: julie.cole@sjc.vic.edu.au.

Heritage Centre

Heritage Centre Visitors

In early August, the Heritage Centre held a lunch for a small group of our earliest Old Collegians and it is always a privilege to spend time with the men who were impacted by some of the biggest events of last century, the Great Depression and World War II. It is humbling to hear their life stories, and hear them acknowledge with gratitude the impact a “St Joes” education has had on their lives.

Below are our guests for the day and the years they attended St Joseph’s:

Des Podbury - 1936-1944, Anthony Smith - 1936-1944, Pat Burke - 1941-1949, Alan Bruce - 1948-1950, John Bohan - 1935-1940, John Mildren - 1947-1951.

Bill McMaster (SJC 1946), and Nilo Pivetta (SJC 1957) also visited the Heritage Centre and spent an enjoyable hour or so remembering their time at St Joseph’s.

Over the year I have past students stop in, sometimes it is just to talk and reminisce about their time at St Joseph’s and sometimes they want to look through the Virtus. It is always a pleasure and an honour speak with them and

hear their stories, and their appreciation of the Heritage Centre as a place that honours and protects the history of the College, makes all the work worthwhile. It is always lovely to receive requests for photos and information from Old Collegians and their families and I have a great sense of satisfaction when I can help them.

Scanning of Virtus

I have been working on scanning the College Yearbooks and I am pleased to announce that all past editions have now been scanned and have been added to the College Website under OUR STORY. It is very interesting to see both the changes to society and the progress of the College since 1935.

The Heritage Centre is open on Tuesdays from 9.00am – 4.00pm. and at other times by appointment. Contact College Archivist Susan Belluzzo via 03 5226 8100 or by email Susan.Belluzzo@sjc.vic.edu.au.

Susan Belluzzo,

College Archivist

The McNeill Society

The McNeill Society has been established by the St Joseph’s College Foundation to recognise and honour those who remember the College in their will. It enables us to thank and recognise – privately or publicly –those for their generosity towards the College. Often St Joseph’s College is not able to thank a donor in his or her lifetime and the McNeill Society allows us to express our gratitude in the here and now.

Our hope is that it will also encourage others to include a gift to St Joseph’s College in their will.

The McNeill Society has been named after John McNeill, (SJC 1935-1937). A foundation student during the first three years of the College’s existence, John was one of the original House Captains and took full part in all

school activities.

Members will be listed in/on the College’s Bequest Register/ Honour Board and other publications, receive a membership pin and be invited to McNeill Society Functions. There are no membership fees or regulations. Membership can be anonymous if preferred.

For information contact: Julie Cole - Fundraising & Alumni Coordinator. 03 5226 8149 julie.cole@sjc.vic.edu.au

McNeill Cup Winner

Nathan Fox

John McNeil was the first of a long line of great athletes and sportsmen to have graced the hallowed turf of St Joseph’s College. A charismatic young man with a thirst for all things sport orientated, McNeil served as one of the College’s original House Captains and was an athletics champion from 1935 until 1937. Now, I’ll be honest. I’m not the first person that comes to mind when you hear the words “athletics champion”. Come to think of it, second or third. Yet, despite its perceived connotations, the McNeil Cup isn’t just about sporting endeavours. It’s about making a contribution to something bigger than ourselves.

Passion, commitment, excellence and leadership. To me, these four qualities epitomise the mentality of John McNeil and form the cornerstone of any worthwhile contribution. It doesn’t matter whether you are athletics champion, a Deputy College Captain, a Texpert or even a secondary school teacher, we all have something unique that we can contribute to the College, to make it the greatest place it can possibly be.

You start by finding your passion and once you’ve found it, never let it go. It’s a simple concept and yet fundamental to any contribution because it is through your passion that you find your purpose. You can see your destination; you just have to work out how to get there. The next step is to make a commitment. Dedicate yourself in any way possible, not because someone else expects it of you, but because you want to. Soon enough with a bit of practise and some study, you will have become an expert. Now will be the time for you to take all that knowledge you’ve developed, along with your dedication and your passion and share it with others. You will have become a leader, guiding and inspiring others to find their own passions and purposes.

When the time comes for us to make a contribution, we do so out of a sense of service, a passion and a desire to give back in return for everything that we ourselves have received. We do so, not out of external expectations but rather internal expectations, those that we place upon ourselves. We don’t seek reward or recognition; we do it because we want to. John McNeil wanted to play sports. It’s as simple as that. It was this love that encouraged him to excel, to be the best athlete he could possibly be, eventually encouraging others to do the same as a House Captain.

I think one of the reasons why John McNeil is still so synonymous with the College, its reputation, views and values is because as a foundation student, the school to him was a blank canvas. Unburdened by a rigid institutional framework of pressures, parameters or expectations, he was free to shape the College however he best saw fit. He took advantage of the opportunities presented to him, and in doing so created a lasting image not only for himself but for the College as a whole. The St Joseph’s we bear witness to today is anything but a blank canvas. Its 85 years of operation have made it a rich tapestry of ideas, voices and opinions that only continues to grow with each passing year level. At the end of the day maybe that’s all we really are in the scheme of things. Individual threads of twine, each unique in our own way and yet constituents of a much greater tapestry. A tapestry that is all the more outstanding and complex because of those who are willing to demonstrate passion, commitment, excellence and leadership in order to make their own contribution and to leave this school in a better place than when they found it.

I am truly humbled to be the 2019 recipient of the McNeil Cup and I would just like to show to gratitude all those who have supported and guided me throughout these last six years. My family, close friends and teachers, thank you for helping me discover my own passions and purpose.

Lastly, 2020 is going to be a big year for all of us. So just remember that a contribution, is a contribution no matter how big or how small.

Nathan Fax

College Dux

Ethan

Near

The determination to withstand the pressures, expectations and workload of Year 12, let alone the hope of striving for 80+ ATAR, is a toll on any secondary student. This is simply an irrefutable fact, no matter how many sickies and excuses you pull off to try and avoid it, and it’s more or less an indication of life ahead. So what could motivate anyone to carry on through the year like that? The honest answer is “only themselves”.

Finding my motivation to strive through my last year of schooling came from sitting down and asking myself, What is that I really want? To motivate yourself to achieve something that feels exhausting or tedious, you really just need to tell yourself that you want it more than the, perhaps more alluring, alternative. For me, it was simply the realisation that a good education, while costing only a few years of work, will stay with me for a lifetime. And that’s the basis of any successful motivation; ask yourself not what you want today, but what you want for tomorrow.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that crux for all your motivations should simply be your Year 12 studies, nor that you should only ever hold a single aim. Our existence is a complex and motley mess of people and experiences, and maybe the only way to withstand this is to maintain a tangled mess of our own. This means having a strong and varied social and personal life, and it begins with the trifecta of family, friends, and staff. A lot of my dedication to study and education is admittedly owed to my parents and close family. They made the constant and selfless sacrifices of working and caring so that I was able to go to this school healthy and happy, of providing whatever I needed to complete my homework, and quietly doing the little chores that, at my age, I really should have been doing myself.

The presence of my friends was, perhaps, of even greater importance to my time here. They’ve been perpetual providers of laughter, joy, conversation, camaraderie, and comfort, and are dependable pillars of support in socially awkward times. If anything, spending time with mates has been my top priority throughout the year.

After all, it is the people we meet, not the lessons we learnt, that we remember throughout our lives. And this is indeed extended to the teachers and staff themselves, many of whom have played a more than active role in my schooling time. From engrossing involvements in many of my numerous films of questionable quality, to engaging me in ‘unique’ presentations of classes, I’ve been fortunate to fondly experience a huge variety of supportive and friendly staff members.

And I’ve certainly left with memories of joy and excitement from the past 6 years; tense athletic-cup wins, chaotic Year 9 and 12 camps, the enthralling independence of the Amazing Race, cursory media classes, and a great deal of time spent chatting around the benches on Zampatti Oval.

All of which only serves to reinforce my advice to those after me; find what it is that you truly want to do, and do it. And make it worthwhile. Because these moments of your life are infinitesimally precious, and they are worth it.

Ethan Near

Where are they now?

Dave Vosen (SJOC 1993)

It was a Year 11 International Studies class that really sparked an interest that would shape the majority of my time after leaving SJC. As we attempted the VCE we learned about the ending of the Cold War and the dismantling of Soviet Union – the outcomes of all these things were uncertain. Aside from planning holidays, I hadn’t paid any attention to the significance of countries closer to home and what this meant for Australia’s prosperity and security.

Ms Cameron’s assignment on Indonesia proved central to the blending of my interests in economics, politics, international relations and religious ideology. I remember the conversation and the debate was interesting. But perhaps, more profound was the recognition that there weren’t simple answers to these questions – and they certainly weren’t contained in a single school of thought. The pursuit, or even competition for influence, was important - both means and ends mattered.

I wish now I’d taken more language, but Ms Healy made it clear French wasn’t for me. At the time, both of us could not have predicted that I would get the opportunity to live and work overseas, spending the last decade in or around the few remaining communist or transition states. Advising government of Australia’s policies in relation to Afghanistan and North Korea and long-term postings to Papua New Guinea, Lao PDR and Mongolia has given me the chance to combine the variety of my interests. I find myself drawn to the differences, rather than any similarities to Australia.

It is humbling to engage with members of many communities who have had to fight (literally and figuratively) for their survival and their beliefs. Courage takes on many forms, and it makes you question your

own. This was true in Bougainville and Kabul, but also for those who achieved democracy here in Mongolia, peacefully, in the early 90s. It is inspiring to work with people who shaped their country’s destiny. Joeys helped me develop a desire and also the ability to understand different perspectives. But other memories of SJC life still stand out.

Firstly, a sense of community: After completing the VCE, I spent some years mixing study and working at St Augustine’s education. Working with other old collegians (as teachers and youth workers) was formative. I learned about the tools of advocacy. I watched how people effectively advocated for the rights of children and their education. I was inspired by people who stood up for others. It certainly helped me realise (then and now) the relative significance of the opportunities afforded to me. Also the value of maintaining a connection to people and places.

After completing a Bachelor of Commerce/B.A, I stumbled into Canberra working in finance related roles and experienced my first overseas posting to Nauru. Later, I spent some time at the Department of Defence and Australia’s Aid Agency (then AusAID) before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. That sense of community through all these experiences has been important for helping me explain Australia to international partners, and for maintaining personal connections to Geelong - no matter how far I am from home.

Secondly, being bold and making a difference: One memory sticks with me of Ms Lee managing to renovate a former library and convert it to a theatre, I think, before anyone realised. She produced a terrible

version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (our fault not hers). Notwithstanding her clear passion for theatre and our incompetence, she generated an environment that allowed us to test the limits of our own creativity, speak confidently in public and communicate an idea to an audience. She was bold and we grew from that experience. Although some never entertained again. I’ll be forever grateful to Keith Miller (and many other teachers and parents in other activities) who dedicated hours to coaching many of us as we rowed up and down the Barwon River and at Torquay. He shared his passion for surf lifesaving and supported our participation. Alongside our rural fire fighters, this is another example of the type of volunteerism and service to others that defines Australians, our way of life and holds us in high regard overseas (unpaid advertisement: https://www.avi.org.au/). Being bold and driving a passion makes a difference.

I’m very fortunate to be able to share these experiences with a very sympathetic family (Kate and three children). As a consequence of my work, our children miss an enduring connection to a school and a community which I sometimes regret. I wonder what they will make of their membership of a transient international community as they consider their future.

I have another two years to serve as Australia’s

Ambassador to Mongolia. The winters here are brutal (down to -40c) but the summers are magic. The region is very dynamic and Mongolia’s economy (largely supported by mining) is of similar composition to our own. I’ve benefited significantly from the foundation and friendships with many colleagues and teachers that have supported or challenged me in in different ways. I’m not sure whether it’s even possible to repay these –but I guess that’s not the point. So if anyone is passing through Ulaanbaatar I can promise to offer some of Mongolia’s finest fermented mare’s milk or the best of its aged mutton. There are significant opportunities for quality Australian food and beverage if any old collegians are exploring new markets in North Asia. Let me know.

I was asked whether I had any words of wisdom to share. I have none. I don’t think any advice is needed if we are willing to listen respectfully to others’ views and then defend and advocate strongly for our own. Surely that matters as much in diplomacy today as it does at SJC.

Dave Vosen commenced at St Joseph’s in Grade 6, completing VCE in 1993. He possesses a Masters of Public Policy (ANU), graduate qualifications in finance and a Bachelor of Commerce/B.A. He is currently serving as Australia’s Ambassador to Mongolia.

Dave Vosen

Years 11 and 12 SJC and SHC Global Politics Students were treated to an insightful and thought provoking Q&A session with Dave on his visit to Geelong in 2019.

A life-saving gift

Angelo Natoli (SJOC 1958)

Thanks to Old Collegian Angelo Natoli, students at our Westcourt Campus now have a brand new life-saving device. Angelo’s generous donation has enabled the College to purchase a defibrillator, which will be located in the new Westcourt Gymnasium. Angelo is pictured handing over his gift to Deputy Principal, Mark Kennedy.

You’re On!

Mark Beretta (SJOC 1983 & SJC Foundation Member)

The light goes red and you talk. Simple really. And I’d done it a million times. It was just tougher than it’d been before, as the clock ticked over 6.31pm, Monday 25th September, 2000.

The News had just finished and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games telecast was resuming. After a last minute reshuffle of the Seven commentary team, I found myself in the hot seat – hosting the Olympic telecast on the most watched night in the history of Australian television – the evening of Cathy Freeman’s iconic 400 metres run.

The sense of occasion was enormous. The build-up to this moment stretched back 4 years to the Atlanta Olympics where Cathy finished with a silver medal and hugged her mum after that race, whispering, “Are you disappointed Mum?” Of course she wasn’t, and she certainly wouldn’t be four years later.

The next Olympic Games in Sydney had come around and Cathy was ready. Cameras had followed her all day. The attention was enormous and inescapable.

That race still gives me goose bumps. I remember every moment of it. Afterwards the national celebration brought all of us closer together. And luckily for me, the night went smoothly on air, with almost 8-million viewers, and it still remains the most watched event in Australian TV history.

I’ve had a lucky ride with Seven. My interview for the job back in 1995 was in the car park of the Seven Melbourne’s Dorcas Street headquarters. Sport Producer, Bill Cannon, gave me a job and I walked into the building and pulled up a desk next to giants of the industry - Bruce McAvaney, Sandy Roberts, Jim Wilson, and Peter Landy. It was daunting, but I was in heaven.

Within weeks of landing at Seven, the network announced it had locked in the rights to broadcast the summer and winter Olympic Games from Atlanta 1996 right through to Beijing 2008. It was amazing to board the flight to Atlanta

with over 300 colleagues for the lead-up Games to Sydney 2000.

Tokyo 2020 (in 2021!) will be my 11th Olympic Games. Can’t believe that, and I never take it for granted. My work has put me at the greatest moments in sport, here and overseas. I have sat down to chat with every star of world sport. Roger Federer and Lewis Hamilton are at the top of my list of recent favourites.

But it’s still better playing sport than talking about it. As a kid, my Dad taught us to water ski on the Barwon River. It was the thing we all did as a family and we all loved it. Looking back, it was the family time spent together that made it so memorable. Being out on the water has always been my passion – an escape. I know every part of the Barwon and it’s a great river that will always be special to my family for all the good times we shared.

Many times I could have given skiing away, but now I’m so glad I stuck at it. It gave me incredible adventures around the world. I was fortunate to win ten Australian Championships, be runner up at the Singapore International Masters and set a record in the USA. That led me to be able to coach in the USA and Japan, and later show off my sport in various ski shows around the world.

It’s nice to stick at something, and get it done. That sense of achievement is euphoric, and the bonus is you gain a new skill. My sport helped my get through my Engineering degree. I never found the four-and-a-half years at university easy going, and I had to keep telling myself, “I’m going to finish this.” Getting through and putting that degree under my belt remains one of my favourite achievements. It also gave me a backstop, something to fall back on if my future ventures didn’t go the way I hoped.

I really enjoyed working as an engineer. I started out rolling steel at BHP Westernport, then spent time with Andersen Consulting, before settling at Honeywell, initially as a project engineer, then a sales and senior sales engineer.

I worked on projects like the security and surveillance system at Crown Casino, the fire detection system at Collins Towers, and the communication network for the Melbourne Stock Exchange.

All the while, I’d been keeping up my love of sport by reporting on it on radio. I got a foot in the door at 3GL Geelong in 1988, during my last year of university at Swinburne. I’d read sport with the news each morning, before driving to Melbourne to uni for the day and then back each night. They were long days, but being busy was becoming addictive.

3GL was bought out by the Hoyts Media group who owned the Triple M stations, and that opened doors in Melbourne. I moved to Triple M Melbourne (a lot closer to uni!) to work alongside Eddie McGuire, and Eddie eventually got me started at Channel 10 Melbourne, where I spent a year before joining Seven.

Christmas is a good time to stop and think about where you are, and where you’re going. In 2010, I stopped, looked around and decided I could do more to help others. I had a long discussion with my wonderful wife, Rach, who has always been my greatest sounding board, and we both liked the look of a cancer charity called Tour de Cure.

With the support of the Sunrise team, we came up with a plan for me to ride along on their 10-day, 1,500km journey from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, and do my daily sport reports along the way. I almost died doing it, but we got to the finish and raised a record amount of just over $1.5 million. Last year marked my 10th Tour de Cure ride, and we rode from Sydney to Geelong over the Snowy Mountains. The rides are always hugely challenging. I still hurt for the full 10 days and every day think about tossing it in. But how could anyone give up when people are dealing with cancer, and relying on us for funds? So here’s why I push on. Since those early years, Tour de Cure has raised $60 million for cancer

research, support and prevention. We’ve funded almost 400 projects by Australian researchers. That’s led to 30 major breakthroughs in cancer research and treatment. Bottom line is, Tour de Cure has saved a lot of lives, and will save a lot more. I am so proud to be part of the team, and so proud of their work.

Getting our kids, Ava (Yr 10) and Dan (Yr 7), exposed to charitable work and the importance of giving your time and effort to help others has been a priceless upside. At a recent Tour de Cure ride, Ava came along as a volunteer and it was one of my greatest memories seeing her at the stops and out along the road working to help the event.

Last Father’s Day I was given the honour of Australian Father of the Year, for my work with Tour de Cure and other charities, and for getting the family involved.

You should never stop challenging yourself, learning, and chasing your dreams. I’d always regretted not serving in our military, so at the start of last year I passed the selection tests and joined the Army Reserve. I work a couple of days a week as a Captain in Public Affairs at Forces Command, the group responsible for 20,000 soldiers and making sure they are always ready for the roles the nation wants them to perform. It’s been a great experience. I’ve met some incredible people who are devoted to serving Australia, and I’ve learned a ton, with 28 new qualifications!

Some of the best early advice I had from my Dad was to grab every opportunity life throws at you, and hold on tight. It was great advice, it’s certainly made life interesting, and I look back at my first half century with satisfaction and with a few things ticked off my dream list. Even better, I head into the next era with more enthusiasm than ever, and with more ambitions to chase!

Mark Beretta

Where are they now?

Benjamin Ross (SJOC

2008)

I started at St Joseph’s College in 2003 and after graduating from Year 12 in 2008, I was impatient to head overseas and experience the big, wide world. I took a ‘gap-year’ and jetted off to a home-stay in rural Peru (ostensibly to teach English) for a few months before travelling more widely through South America. Coming back to Australia in early 2010, replete with a scruffy traveller’s beard and tattered backpacker trinkets adorning my wrists, I began studying for a Bachelor of Arts at The University of Melbourne, majoring in Economics and Spanish. After graduation and newly armed with my Spanish language degree, I returned to Latin America for some time, eventually returning to Australia to work for a bank in Melbourne.

As I wanted to begin working in the environmental and sustainability sector, I headed back to university to commence a Masters of Environment focusing on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. This eventually took me to work for a Government Department in Canberra where I remained for a few years, thoroughly enjoying my time in the bush capital working on a range of different domestic and international agriculture issues. Early in 2019 I made the decision to move to Timor-Leste to take up a volunteer position as a Business Development Mentor with an agricultural business in Timor-Leste. This role was made available through the Australian Volunteers Program, an initiative of the Australian Government. I was lucky enough to be based in the picturesque town of Gleno (population 10,000), located in a lush mountain valley about 1.5 hours’ drive from the capital, Dili.

In rural Timor-Leste, the vast majority of people grow their own food with any surplus generally sold in the local marketplace for a small profit. The agricultural business where I worked aims to help local farming families increase their incomes, primarily through improving the productivity and sustainability of their farms. As a mentor, my role was to help build the capacity of the local management staff in new product development and

help to improve business processes and systems. This small business had a number of project areas on–the–go including horticulture production and marketing, fruit drying and the processing of specialty grade coffee for export. The work is dynamic and at times demanding, and as such I am particularly grateful for the eternal optimism and propensity for laughter of my Timorese colleagues.

My time living and working in Timor-Leste as a volunteer with Australian Volunteers Program has been incredibly rewarding and special. I feel very lucky to have been able to settle for a little while in such a beautiful part of the world, doing work that I love, and being inspired by many passionate individuals who are committed to make positive lasting change for their communities. I feel that I’ve gotten far more out of my time here than I’ve been able to contribute, but my plans are to remain in TimorLeste for the next little while at least!

Thinking back to my time at SJC, I have many great memories but particularly I recall my love of the humanities classes; International Politics with Scott McNulty, History - Revolutions with Katherine Jenkins and Literature with Fran Kealy. I remember that these teachers in particular encouraged their students to be outward looking, to think critically and to be curious about the wider-world. I’m pleased to see that SJC continues in this tradition with its strong social justice program, including active support for a number of communities in Timor-Leste, particularly in the Viqueque region. It was great to be able to meet up with the SJC Timor group when they visited Dili in 2019!

If you haven’t been already, I’d urge you to consider the tropical island paradise of Timor-Leste for your next adventure holiday–trust me when I say you’ll never drink a coconut on the beach that could ever beat those found in Dili! Also, if you’re so inclined I’d encourage you to learn more about Australian Volunteers and how you could become involved at www.australianvolunteers.com.

Benjamin Ross

Where are they now?

Paul Martini (SJOC

2012)

I don’t really know where to begin but one of my first memories of when my career began in a kitchen was the day my mum drove me down to Cunningham Pier in 2010. She thought we would dash in and out and so mum skipped the parking ticket. Located at the end of that pier, a restaurant called Baveras was ran by talk of the town, acclaimed chef Matt Dempsey. I remember at St Joseph’s College we had two weeks of work experience to complete. My mum told me about this place but I brushed it off. Little did I know, this restaurant would open a doorway of opportunities and give me my first insight into a fine dining kitchen. I remember standing by the pass talking to Matt and explaining to him about the school project. My mum and I both left with smiling faces, to then find a parking ticket on the car. Mum was not so happy anymore! Little did she or I know, my career and passion for food had just begun.

I enjoyed my time at St Joseph’s and it’s six years of my life that I still look back on today. All the memories and laughs. I was never an A grade student, I struggled with most subjects theory wise. I never really put in 100% and I use to get in trouble a lot. Practical subjects and being hands on were things I thoroughly enjoyed, as I loved to create and envision. I use to hang around people that may of had a bad influence on me. When I was at St Joseph’s everyone wanted to be the cool, or most popular and when you’re young and naïve, you want to keep up with what’s trending. Most people in high school have a hard time knowing what lays ahead of them. University? Trade? One thing that gave me inspiration and motivation, was knowing what I wanted to do once school was finished. The stress-free feeling of knowing that I didn’t need to sit exams at the end of the year. The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) allowed me to do this. I was able to go straight into an apprenticeship, a school based one I had started back in 2011. I remember getting good grades in art but also having a love for food. I am half Italian, so food has always been a big deal in my life. I thought, “what if I put these two together?” And Food

Technology is where I really excelled. When I was in class, the boys would ask me for help; “Paul! How do I fix this?” “How do I do this?” It was a good laugh. I finally felt like I had an opportunity to take this subject to the next level.

Graduating is still up there, with one of the best feelings. Knowing you are free from previous constraints, to go out and really start to create your journey; that is what I did. As good as this feeling was, witnessing a restaurant receive its third Michelin Star was even better. That’s not something that happens every day!

The hardest part of my career was in the beginning. My first memory of feeling pressure and stress in the kitchen was when Matt Dempsey asked me to make a soup of the day. I didn’t even know how to make a soup, especially five litres of it. I think it was my first or second day. I really didn’t know what I’d gotten myself into. I never felt this at school, the pressure, the stress. Now I was out in the real world. My goal was to survive; how far could I go? Some days I wanted to go so far and never come back. Friends, birthdays, socialising, parties. I said goodbye to this when I was 18. The kitchen life soon took its toll and I was beginning to understand the life of a chef. I had to make a decision. Do I want to continue, is it really worth all the sacrifices begin so young at the time? One of the most amazing things in this industry is the people you meet. Joel Jenkins, a chef I had been working with at Baveras, took me on as his apprentice and we worked together for one more year in a tapas bar/restaurant called Mrs Hyde’s. He fed me positivity and creativity, he gave me responsibilities which made me confident and ready to move up into the bigger world of Melbourne.

“So you wanna be a chef” is a chapter in Anthony Bourdain’s “Medium Raw” that I’d advise every young chef to read. When I read this, it really changed everything. It was a huge inspiration. Here is a great quote:

“If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other

people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.” And that is what I did.

After 3 years of working for Neil Perry at ‘Rosetta’ on South Bank and Teage Ezard at ‘EZARD’ on Flinders Lane, it moulded me and prepared me for a whole other world of cooking. And that was Europe. I would never have dared to step foot into a Michelin starred kitchen, this was out of my league. Little did I know, I was better than what I thought. I ended up doing internships at restaurants such as KOK’s (Faroe Islands), Sweetroot (Lithuania), Maaemo (Norway) and Hertog Jan (Belgium). Finally finding myself in Stockholm at a restaurant called Frantzén which I had been following for a long time. It is number 21 in the San Pellegrino World 50 Best Restaurants. Landing an internship here for two months was a dream come true. After achieving so much in so little time, I thought the possibilities where endless.

January 2018, I arrived in Stockholm on a cold snowing winter’s day, minus nine degrees or something like that. My first day in the restaurant, I was in love. I said to myself, I want a job here. I pushed myself to the levels that I didn’t know existed in me. Physically and mentally everything, all I had been working towards was in this moment. February 2018, Frantzèn was awarded its third star. They needed to hire more chefs to keep up with the demand and I was lucky enough to be that person. Two years later, I have been a part of this amazing team and living my life up in

Peter Lynch (SJOC 1969)

Dr Peter Lynch is a graduate of the Canberra School of Music (performance), Monash University (musicology), The University of Melbourne (education administration) and the University of Tasmania (musicology). He has taught at the Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne, the Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music, and the Conservatorium of Music, University of Tasmania. From 1999 to 2008, he was Director of Murray Conservatorium, Albury. In that capacity, he established two orchestras, a number of smaller ensembles and presented numerous public concerts featuring staff and students, together with recitals by many of Australia’s finest performers and composers. For 40 years, he examined in Australia and overseas for the Australian Music Examinations Board while, as a classical guitarist, he has performed, broadcast and recorded as a soloist and in ensemble with some of Australia’s most highly regarded musicians, including Roger Heagney, an Old Collegian, Prudence Davis and Jeffrey Crellin on their acclaimed

Stockholm. It is one of the greatest achievements in my career to date. The most common questions I get asked here is, “so what brings you to Stockholm?” I reply with “the weather” and laugh. Did I ever think I was going to be here? Definitely not, but everyone has to start from the bottom. There are countless hours of hard work and little money but there is a lot more to it than just this. No one will understand if you don’t join the ride. The most amazing thing about this industry is you never know where it will take you. As long as you set yourself with goals, you can kick them. You don’t have to be the most intelligent person to be something great. There is something greater I believe. Love, passion, ambition and a good attitude. Be humble and open your mind. Some people want to travel, others don’t. All I wanted to do was leave Australia and now, after being away for 3 years, all I want to do is come back. Sometimes, you can take your own country for granted. I believe this journey I have taken has changed me as a person and how I perceive things. I’m only 25 years old and have made so many memories already. Live life and don’t let life live you.

Without having St Joseph’s College behind me, none of this would have been possible. You might not care too much now, but later on in life, you realise how much it matters. Never forget the people that help you along the way.

Paul Martini

CD, Images and Jane Rayner on Cloud Eight: Australian Music for Flute and Guitar. His MA thesis on Gertrude Healy, the noted Australian violinist, was recognised by way of an entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography. Most recently, he was awarded a PhD for his research into monastic liturgical musical in Post-Vatican II Australia. Peter and his partner Bronwyn, when not busy in their cottage garden, work in a voluntary capacity at the Catholic Archdiocese of Hobart Archives and Heritage Collection.

Dr PeterLynch

Where are they now?

Sam (Salvatore) Gandolfo (SJOC Boarder 1947)

My parents were migrants from Sicily, Italy. They were loving and caring and devoted to the family. My father arrived in 1926 at the age of 25, the youngest of nine with his older brother John. Later the families arrived. Mum and Dad lived behind his Shoe Repair shop in Pakenham, where I was born. In a few years, the family ended up in Brighton where Dad had a Shoe Repair shop. My father and mother believed in the family essence of life and lived their belief. They were dedicated, kind and loving parents. With love and example, they worked hard to make sure my late brother and I had a good start in life.

For me, St Joseph’s was a great contributor to this good start. I commenced at St Josephs in 1945, the year I turned 15 in Year 10 and left after completing Year 12. Being a Boarder opened a new world for me. After lessons there were plenty of sports available. Homework was programmed for us and we were kept quite active. The school culture had a great influence on my progress and in my adult life. The students bonded very well. I had the opportunity to experience many challenges, to be active and grow as a person.

The head of the College was Br O.S. Adams. He had a big influence on me personally and the whole school. He was very supportive and encouraged us to do well in our sporting and scholastic interests. I believe he was responsible for the culture of the school. Br Adams appointed me a prefect during my final year.

I was a member of the 1st 18 Football team which beat St Patrick’s College Ballarat and a member of the Athletics team. In Cricket, I played in slips and in the

lower batting order. I also enjoyed handball and another interest of mine was Debating.

During school holidays I worked in a fruit shop and went to market. I worked in the Taxation Department. Another time at night, I worked at the GPO sorting letters.

After leaving school, having finished Year 12, I was accepted into the Victorian College of Pharmacy.

My first Pharmacy was in Black Rock. At one stage, I was involved in two Shopping Centre Pharmacies and I was appointed chairman of both Shopping Centre Committees. I was also appointed to the Committee of the Pharmacy Guild of Victoria. Later I was made an Honorary Life Member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.

Travel taught me many things; the art, the ballet, the theatre and the ancient architecture of the Romans and Greeks. Their different lifestyles, the people’s different cultures so dominant in their lives. The most different and certainly most interesting was Turkey. A country of the most amazing architecture, Mosques and many ancient treasures. An example being the ancient ruins of the Greco- Roman Ephesus. From here, a short distance to a Church which as the story goes, was earlier the home where Our Lady lived being looked after by St John.

A most amazing experience was in Medjugorje in BosniaHertzogovina, where Our Lady appeared. There we saw two of the visionaries, one was outside her house talking to visitors and the other was up in the fields where Our Lady appeared, praying with tears flowing down her cheeks. When we approached the Church, there were many Priests outside on chairs with lines of people

waiting for confession. Going to Mass there and being involved in this visit was a most unforgettable feeling and experience. In Verona people were crowding in front of the house where from the balcony, Juliet used to watch Romeo standing on the pavement below.

I was also blown away by the experience of seeing the Pharmacy in the Franciscan Monastery in Dubrovnik, one of the earliest in Europe. Experiencing the Pope’s Blessing as he was walking down the aisle at the end of a Mass at the Vatican was an unbelievable happening. Amazing!

My favorite sayings are:

Ad Alta Virtute

A man’s reach should extend his grasp or what’s a heaven for?

Never lose your good name. If you do, you will never get it back

Never put passion in front of principle. Even if you win, you’ll lose.

In business, my credo was:

“Your smile is your logo. Your personality is your business card. How you leave others feeling after having an experience with you becomes your trademark. My staff were my most important asset”.

My motto was:

“We are in the People Business and we use our knowledge and expertise to help our customers with their needs”.

P.S. My cousin Michael Gandolfo came to St Joseph’s, the next year in 1950. He became Head Prefect and School Captain.

Sam Gandolfo

Where are they now?

Shannan Gove

(SJOC 2007)

Shannan Gove is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Rosterfy - a workforce management platform at some of the world’s largest events. Shannan returned to the College as our guest speaker at the Investiture of Leaders ceremony to share his inspiring and heartfelt account on leadership, study and believing in yourself. Here is an extract of his speech.

The 12 years since I left St Joeys have been a whirlwind and I am happy to share a few of the learnings with you.

I graduated in 2007 with mid-level grades and no real idea of what I would do after school. I loved sport and winning an Under 18s flag at St Joey’s remains one of the best days of my life. I was lucky enough to be the Captain of the First 11 Cricket Team for two years and the peak of my sporting career was having Trent Cotchin take a screamer on my back in the ACC Grand Final on the MCG.

I didn’t know it at the time, but I made the best decision of my life in the months after finishing school and booked a one-way flight to Canada to work at a summer camp. When I arrived in Canada the temperature was close to minus-40 degrees and my bags didn’t make my connecting flight, meaning all I had were the boardshorts and t-shirt I landed in. My home for the next nine months was an old shipping container in the snow. I vividly recall that first night, with no sleeping bag, freezing my bottom off, no bags, no-one to call and no mum to solve my problems. I couldn’t have been happier. It was time to start my own journey.

In the next nine months I worked with people from all walks of life; kids from juvenile detention, drug rehabilitation groups, four-year-old kindergarten groups and the local retirement home. Simply listening to other people’s stories can have an amazing impact on your own life.

After Canada I flew to Paris to meet our then school captain, Mark O’Reilly, for a week. We convinced each other to cancel our flights to Australia and stay for another two months, even though we barely had any money to our names. We couch surfed, hitch-hiked and walked the 900km journey of the Camino De Santiago through Spain. We had the time of our lives and I would do it again in a heartbeat. The experience taught me an independence which shaped my working life. I studied Sports Management at Deakin Burwood and quickly realised work experience was the key to getting a job at the end of your course. With this in mind, I started working a lot of events and getting mates involved and eventually stumbled into starting our own business which placed motivated university students into events.

In nine years, that business - Event Workforce - has grown into Australia’s largest placement company, staffing events such as the Australian Open, Grand Prix and the Boxing Day Test. As the business grew, we realised the need to implement a technology solution to streamline our operations. There wasn’t a suitable solution available, so we built our own. Rosterfy launched in 2015 and provides white labelled workforce management technology to some of the biggest events in the world such as the London Marathon, the Super Bowl and Commonwealth Games. We have offices in San Francisco, London and Dubai.

The past four years have been a rollercoaster of

emotions, with plenty of wins but also sacrifice and hard times. At times we didn’t think we could make it through. I can’t stress enough how much we did not plan to run our own business, let alone a second technology business (especially when I have no idea how to write or read any code). Both opportunities came from seeing a gap in the market, backing ourselves and having a go.

My journey couldn’t be further from a straight line. Unexpected detours along the way have seen us accomplish new and great things but also hit dead ends. By no means am I saying don’t set goals and work towards them. Instead, open yourself up to opportunities and the experiences that come with them.

A few learnings along the way include:

1. Take a risk while you are young and learn from your mistakes. Most people prefer to stay in their lane, so don’t be afraid of pushing the boundaries if you think there is a better way. Stop comparing yourself to others and trying to fit in to what others want you to be.

2. Stay balanced and look after your mental health. Across your journey, there will be plenty of highs and lows. My one piece of advice is don’t ride them too hard. We all see people on social media spruiking how amazing their life is, but funnily enough you never see any news about their downfalls. Don’t be that person. For any UFC fans, I always respected Conner McGregor’s journey from street kid to world champion. He says “You

either win or you learn - you never lose “.

3. Be 100 per cent accountable in life to yourself and your family. If you aren’t happy in your situation then do something about it and don’t wait for someone else to solve your problems.

4. Don’t let others’ emotions and reactions take you off course. When we started Event Workforce we pitched the idea to the head of our course at Deakin and he basically told us not to bother. We didn’t put the idea on the shelf. Instead we took on his advice and found ways to make it work.

5. Leadership comes with experience and by meeting people from all walks of life. The best leaders listen more than they talk, act decisively and are always ultimately accountable for their actions.

Finally, life is short - take your opportunities while you can, work hard, be honest, travel, have fun with your mates and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Share the love too. There are plenty of people in this world wanting to bring people down, so it’s amazing how refreshing it is to have a positive outlook on life. In my opinion, strength and courage is personified by those that speak up when they are struggling, or those that reach out to a mate to see how they are going. I promise you only good things will come from it.

SJOCA 2020 Golf Day

This year we celebrated 25 years of the Old Collegians Golf Day!

Held at the picturesque 13th Beach Golf Course on Sunday 15 March, over 155 players took part in an Ambrose-style team competition. The conditions on the day were ideal and the award winning courses were in perfect condition.

We are thrilled to announce that the day raised $16, 000 which directly supports the College Bursary Program and affords those boys who are most in need the opportunity of an education for life. This outstanding result would not have been possible if it were not for the tremendous support and generosity of our fantastic sponsors and participation of players. A big thank you once again to our major sponsor David Bowles from Associated Cold Tread Tyres for your loyalty and commitment over the past 25 years.

SJOCA 2020 Golf Day Winners

Beach Course

Element Stone Brad Hean, Darren Bartlett, Levi Fisher Jason Preece, Nick Blyth Creek Course

Costa Asset Management Todd Devine, Stuart Costa, David Costa, Lachlan Devine, Matthew Iannelli Runners Up

Beach Course

IST Auto Shop Tim Barton, Matt McDonald, Tom Elliot, Ben Davis, Grant Byrne Creek Course

Tudor David Tudor, Cameron Tudor, Gavan Brown, Mick Higgins, Shaun Higgins

Annual Reunion

Over the past 12 months we have celebrated our 1, 5, 10, 20, 25 and 30 year Annual Reunions. We welcomed 200 old classmates as they gathered in the Paul Tobias Centre on 25 May 2019.

Upcoming Reunion Events 2020

Annual Reunion TBC, October

Boarders & Day Students 1940-1967 - Friday 6 November

SJOCA Remembrance Mass - Friday 6 November Class of 1970 50 Year Reunion - Saturday 7 November

50 Year Reunion - Class of 1969

50 years is quite a milestone. On Saturday 9 November the Class of 1969 returned to the College and reminisced over old times. We even had a missing piece of memorabilia returned! Old Collegian Kevin Thomas, SJOC 19601969 shared an interesting and humorous account of his 10 years at St Joseph’s.

My Recollections Of Ten Years At St Joseph’s Geelong

Two score and ten years ago a bunch of scared, weird little boys walked through the gates of St Joseph’s. 1960 was the year of the start of our formation into the unknown future. We gained more new mates from St Robert’s, St Bernard’s, St Margaret’s to name a few. We were introduced to the feather duster of Mrs Ryan, that was a sobering experience. Somehow, we spent the next four years in the same room, that is the one closest to the main gate. Br Smith taught us much about the traditions of the school and how important it was to work hard. My clearest memory of that time was when Polly Farmer came to the school and showed us how to kick a footy.

The numbers grew with the addition of many new class mates in Form 1 (Year 7), boarders and new boys from all over Geelong swelled our ranks. Year 7 Red, Black and Gold. Everybody (now about 90 of us), had now left primary school behind and serious learning began. Photosynthesis was the word to learn how to spell; otherwise “out the side for a bang George” quoted Br Kissain. We had new subjects forced upon us. One of the mysteries was French. I now know why Rowan Atkinson has several bad jokes about them. Latin – “Latin is a language as dead as dead can be, it killed the ancient Romans and now it’s killing me”. Thank goodness some of us were rescued, by technical drawing.

Regarding Latin (old version of Italian) the grade motto of “Musumeci, Bisinella, Di Battista, Giurco, Inturissi, Favaro” translates to “If you aren’t caught red handed, it didn’t happen”. Br Brady was always enforcing his discipline upon his class. All had to have shoes shined, uniform pressed, clean hands, etc. What do you know Dead Fish George Tippets returned after teaching us in our earlier years. Br Shiels taught Economics, his

monotone voice concerning Gross National Product could cure insomnia.

Larry C Davis caught our curiosity, what an interesting bloke. Bachelor of Arts at 19! But we had trouble understanding his Irish / Indian dialect for a while. The handball courts, hand tennis, swimming pool, cricket nets and ovals were our favourite places. I can remember freezing at swimming sports and dying of heat exhaustion in athletics.

Cadets started in Year 9. You had to be 4 feet 9 inches to get in the cadets. I was 4 feet 7 inches; I didn’t want to miss out. Ted Haines stood me on a Melbourne phone book for me to make the mark. I certainly loved cadets, away from home with your mates...wow. A Company 1 Platoon had defaulters every Wednesday night... imagine that, have a look who was in that platoon. We had all the short guys and that means trouble. Toilet paper and bark will never replace Winfield or Marlboro (for many it was their first smoke). I found it amazing how high a can will hover after being tossed into a fire and exploding. What were we eating anyway?

1967 came to an end and a few of us were promoted to NCO level. I went on a course and became a Medic Sergeant...wow wasn’t I great and I grew about a foot that year.

1968, we welcomed a group of guys from St Mary’s with the usual jokes (in good fun of course). A strange experience happened; the dancing lessons started and away we went with the girls from Sacred Heart. What a nervous time, we encountered these mysterious creatures with great wonder. A few of our guys had encountered these wonderments prior to this and led the way. I still hate the barn dance to this day and trying to say something to a girl in under 10 seconds is not natural! We actually survived the experience and some of our guys even married some of those girls.

1968 also saw the real hard examinations hit us. The proper idea of repeating a year was nasty stuff. Yes, I did repeat Year 11 and got to meet another bunch of great blokes who came up. In 1969, I left SJC the same year that my mates in Year 12 did. We lost a few during the year with some going to the Gordon, apprenticeships and others who actually left before they expected it (yep, shown the door by angry Brothers).

We have, sadly lost some of our closest friends and they are waiting for us at a different reunion. Reflection really brings our own future home.

We count amongst our friends captains of industry and commerce, professional men including our doctors. We have Rev. Br Michael Podbury from our ranks and many others who have been successful in their own right. I even have had titles that wouldn’t fit on a door…ha ha.

What I see is the impression and impact that SJC has had on most of us. I count my grade 3 new friend as my best mate. I welcome the opportunity to “run into” my wider school mates. My friends who didn’t go to “Joeys” are amazed at the bond that has endured for 50 years between us. I am proud to be a member of the class of 1969 and to join you in saluting our achievements; past and future. Maybe some of our own children will recognise our bond.

Warmest regards,

Kevin Thomas

Proud Member of the Class of 1969

Snapshots from 1969

A snapshot of life ‘Around the College in 1969’ sourced from the 1969 Virtus.

The construction of the new oval 'down the hill' on the western side of the school was under way. This was the 'most costly addition' undertaken by the College and in the years that followed; the Oval has been integral to College Life. The story of how this land was acquired, involves a meeting between Brother Carey and Mr Whyte (the then owner of the Heights and surrounding land) and the consumption of a bottle of whiskey.

The story is that Brother Carey visited Mr Whyte with a large bottle of whiskey and by the time the bottle was empty St Joseph's owned the land.

The Yard (Quad) was levelled and sealed with bitumen, which 'was of great help during winter, when much of the mud of previous years was avoided in the classes'. Brother O'Brien marked out 'various sized hand tennis courts and the idleness of the pupils at recess in previous years was generally overcome'. To this day down ball is an integral part of recess and lunch breaks.

For the first time in the College's history several Sacred Heart girls participated in the Maths-Science Course at St Joseph's, 'which caused considerable interest to the Leaving boys.' Prior to this the Newtown Library (now the College Heritage Centre) was the spot for the Boarders to meet up with the Sacred Heart girls.

Past St Joseph’s Students In the Spotlight

Barry McFarlane (SJOC 1965)

Barry was awarded an OAM in the Australia Day Awards for his 47 years of commitment to St Joseph’s Cricket Club. During this time, Barry has served as president, coach, games record holder, supporter, administrator and treasurer. He has even had the St Joseph’s Cricket club rooms named in his honour! Barry continues to work tirelessly for the club and its community, as he spends 25 hours each week curating turf wickets and cutting grass on its ovals.

Levi Irving (SJOC 2019) & Charles Windt (SJOC 2018)

Levi and Charles, along with former VCAL students, have been spotted volunteering with BlazeAid. The boys have taken a week off work to rebuild farm fences on fire affected properties in and around Lexton, Victoria.

“We have met so many great people. Yesterday we were working alongside a French firefighter who was volunteering on his day off. There are people here from Italy, Belgium, Germany, everywhere. It’s awesome.” Levi Irving

“The hardest part has been seeing the animals caught in the fences that were unable to escape the fire. The most rewarding thing is being part of a group who are helping a community rebuild. To hear the locals’ stories first hand is powerful and not something I will ever forget.” Charles Windt

Michael Nolan (SJOC 1957)

Michael was awarded a Westfield Geelong ‘Local Heroes’ in 2019 for his tireless volunteer work with the Lazarus Community Centre. The centre provides a safe and welcoming environment for the most vulnerable and needy people in our region. Those that are socially isolated or living rough come together to share a daily meal, shower, clean their clothes and watch TV or play pool. “Our clients come from many complex life situations. A few words of encouragement and support can work minor miracles” he says.

Sam Walsh (SJOC 2018)

Nine months after arriving at Carlton Football Club as a No. 1 draft pick, Sam Walsh was crowned the AFL’s Rising Star with 54 votes. Walsh broke the record for most disposals in a season for a first-year player. He played all 22 games for the Blues, averaging 25 disposals, five marks and three inside-50s. Walsh is just the fourth No. 1 draft pick to win the Rising Star award, following in the footsteps of Andrew McGrath (2017), Brett Deledio (2005) and Nick Riewoldt (2002).

Oliver Bennett (SJOC 2019)

Oliver has been selected to play for Australia in the under 19 NFL (Gridiron) World Championships in Ohio USA this coming June. Although this trip may now be postponed to a later date, we wish Oliver all the best!

Sharing the stories of our Past Students

Do you know a past student’s story we can share? This magazine is for all of our past students, and as such, we would love to feature more stories from our Alumni. Some of your classmates may be too humble to put up their hand, we have found that some of our most inspiring and interesting stories come from friends and family members mentioning “hey, did you hear about.....”

We are proud to share the everyday stories of our “Joey’s Boys”. If you think you can help us or would like to include a story of your own, please get in contact with us at any time throughout the year.

Building a Dream Together

It was great to see many Alumni involved in the Every Boy Every Dream Appeal by way of donations, promotions and support for the development of the Westcourt Multipurpose Gymnasium and the Peter Cannon Performing Arts Centre extension. Each and every dollar made a difference and enabled us to reach our $500,000 target. Both facilities will be a tremendous asset to our students and staff now and well into the future. Over the past 13 years, the St Joseph’s Old Collegians Association has contributed in excess of $860,000 supporting capital projects and the bursary fund. This is something we are very proud of. Congratulations to everyone for their support of the Appeal.

145 Anonymous Donors

Jamie & Paul Cole

Rachael Abraham

Ada family

Ada ki family

Peter Ada

Adel Mawson

Adele Wilson

C Adelwohrer

Africa family

Ahearn family

Alan Bruce

Allan family

Allardyce family

R Allen

Mr R Anderson

Mr & Mrs M Anderson

Mr P Andreson

Mr B Anderson

Anne Thomas

Ansell family

Anthony Costa Foundation

Appleford family

Thomas Arthurson

Arutjunow family

Ashley Crook

Audrins family

Bailey family

Baldero family

Adam Bampfield

Barker family

Bartlett family

Baulch family

Bay City Strings

C Beasley

Prue Beaton

L Beauglehall

Bei family

Ben McNamara

Bennett family

Benstead family

Mr & Mrs B Bentley

Mr & Mrs C Bentley

Bernardo family

H Bertino

Bindokas family

Biria family

Biscan family

Bishop /Gurry family

Mr & Mrs R Blackley

Mr & Mrs M Blackley

Blackley Family

T Boardman

Bole family

K Bole

Mark Bongiorno

Br Ben Boonen

Boothey family

N Borg

Bourke family

Bove family

Bowles family

Mr & Mrs S Bowman

Bowman family

Brach family

Bradbury family

Brandimarti family

Branigan/ Bradley family

Breed family

Brice family

Brocks family

Brodrick family

Broekman family

Brown family

Brown family

N Brown

Simon Bryant

Mark Bryant

Mr & Mrs G Bryant

Jonathan Bryant

David Bryant

Bucek family

Buckley family

Burchell family

Mr & Mrs S Burgess

Mr & Mrs J Burgess

Burke family

M Burn

Burtt family

A Bye

Byrne family

Caldow family

Caligari family

G Callaghan

Cameron family

Peter Cannon

Cannon family

Capicchiano family

Cappadona family

B Cappello

Caracella family

Carpani/Tanoyo family

Carthew family

T Carty

Caruso family

Thomas Cashin

Cater family

Chalmers family

P Charles

Charlie Purdy

Chrissie Rowland

Clark family

Clatworthy family

Jacob Cleary

Clements / Long family

Clifford family

Clohesy family

Fr Anthony Colbert

Josh Cole

Justin Cole

Condie/ Braniff family

Connolly family

Conroy family

Cook family

N Cooke

Cooper family

Coote /Quinn family

Mr & Mrs K Costa

Mr & Mrs D Costa

J Cotter

Coverdale family

Cranny family

Br R Cripps

Crooks family

Crough family

B Crowe

D Cunneen

K Czerkiewicz

David Breheny

Davidge family

Mark Davie

Margot Davies

Dawson family

Shane Dawson

De Grandi family

De Wit/ Thomas family

Damian De Grandi

Deak family

Dearnley family

Mr & Mrs G Dean

Deckker family

Delaney family

Demasi family

Dempster family

Mark Deverall

Mr & Mrs K Devlin

Mr & Mrs J Devlin

Devlin family

Di Lisio family

Di Russo family

Di Santo family

Dickson family

Digby family

Dillon/Higgins family

Dimovski family

Lachlan Doak

Doherty family

Dolder family

Donaghy family

Ben Dormer

Douglas family

Dowd family

Dowling family

D Downes

Downie family

Dripps family

Duff family

Duka family

Duraj family

Edwards family

Egan family

Ekberg family

Eland/Casey-Eland family

Enfiesta family

Ercoli family

Eskrigge family

Essential Construction

Ewings family

Fairfield family

K Falzon

Farrell family

Farrington family

Farrow family

S Fatone

K Fatone

Ferrier/Scott family

Scott Filby

Fisher family

FitzGerald family

B Fitzgerald

J Fitzgerald

Fitzpatrick family

R Flanagan

D Flanders

Mark Flanders

Fleeton family

Flett family

Flint family

Forbes family

Ford family

Bradley Ford

Forster family

Fowler family

Foxwell family

Fraatz family

Freeman family

J Gale

Gannon family

P Garner

Gasparini family

Gerard Tuddenham

Gerber family

W Gertis

Giblin family

Gillatt family

Gionis family

Giurfo family

Gleeson family

Kristen Gleeson

S Gleeson

Gleeson/Matthews family

Nelson Gnaccarini

Goldsworthy family

C Goodear

Michael Goss

Gould /Marzini family

Gow family

Grant family

Green family

Alexander Gregoriou

Gregory family

Grist family

Groves family

P Guinane

Jessica Gunning

L Guy

T Haintz family

D Hale

Hampshire family

Hanley family

J Hannan

Jackson Harlock

R Harman

Harmon family

Damian Harrington

Harris /Hesketh family

Mr & Mrs T Harris

Mr Scott Harris

Mr D Harris

Harry family

Hart family

Harvey family

Hayes family

N Hayward

Mr & Mrs B Henderson

Mr & Mrs J Henderson

Peter Heweston

Hibberd family

Hickey /Cormack family

Alexander Hill

Mr & Mrs M Hill

Mr & Mrs S Hill

Joshua Hill

Damien Hill

Ben Hill

Hindle family

Hoey /Milward family

A Hollenkamp

Holmes family

Holt family

Honey family

Hoober family

Peter Hosie

Sam Hughes

Hume family

Huxtable family

Iacovella family

Issell family

Ivanciv family

Ivelja family

R Ivey

James Duff

Janine McLean BOY EVERY EVERY DREAM

Belluzzo family

Bruce family

Counihan family

English family

Grasso family

Thank you for supporting the St Joseph’s College Foundation in 2019

Anoynmous 10

Terry & Margaret Phillips

Kevin Flanders & sons

Alan Bruce

Richard & Marliyn Proctor

Angelo Natoli

Barry Hill

Nick Jones

Peter Kenyon

Prof. Frank Larkins

Fred Tuddenham

Barry McFarlane

Fr Peter Foley

Geoff & Maria Dean

Terry & Sally Fowler

Greg & Maureen Bryant

Tony Doolan

Gerard McDonald

David O’Brien

Tony & Louise Paatsch

John Fitzgerald

Peter Cannon

Elaine Costa

Kevin Costa

David & Elizabeth Curtain

Brian Fowler

Bernie & Louise Madden

Jim McKeag

Bill McMaster

Peter Morgan

Nilo Pivetta

Joe & Kerri Virgona

Emilio & Maria Filiti

Victor Gigliotti

Stephen & Marcelle Wrigley

John Hoban

Tricia Maas

Joanne Nelson

David Fanning

Richard Schmeiszl

David & Karen Costa

Richard & Susanna Boekel

Sean & Elizabeth Conquit

Julie Cole

Johanna Evertsen-Mostert

Leanne Adams

Daniel O’Farrell

Kevin & Margaret Dunn

John Day

Joe Gale

Brian Jackson

Frank Parnell

Don McKenzie

Kristen Gleeson

James Duff

Patrick Burke

Laurence Ryan

Michelle Brodrick

Jan Earle

Patrick & Louise O’Callaghan

John Callahan

Karen Shum

Bernerdene Carthew

Adam Paul Bampfield

Wei Zhang

Rolf Audrins

Zara Szakiel

Peter O’Connor

Christopher Lynch

Samuel Querella

Mark Rayson

Kerry Drever

Janine McLean

Daniel Hale

Cassandra Coogan

Shane Dawson

Kirsty Maselli

David Bourke

John Harmon

Adel Mawson

Rachel Roche

Tim Bye & Katrina Hassett

Matthew & Narelle Bruhn

Geoff & Leanne Brethouwer

Kevin Alsop

Brian Digby

Tim & Katrina De Grandi

Christopher & Carolyn Harlock

Adrian & Geogette Devlin

Kristen Grant

Glenn &Yvonne McManus

Andrew & Karen Manaszczuk

Glenn & Meagan Mifsud

Leah Irving

Holly McIntosh

Lisa McDine

Pile/Rivett Famiy

Chris & Debra Rockett

Joseph & Elizabeth Raimondo

David & Lisa Tregenza

Stefan & Emma Tamassy

John Stephensen

Avan & Lisa Zarb

John & Inex Woods

Mark & Allison Zampatti

Mark Yates

Russell Schostak

Bernard Bongiorno

Natasha Solczaniuk

Matthew & Vittoria Stevens

Bryan Power

Stephen & Samantha Beggs

David & Jessica O’Brien

Mark Rawson

Liam Jelley

John Mildren

John Dunn

Peter Gleeson

Anthony & Carmel Gove

Carmen Ahearn

Andrijana Atanasovski

Peter & Rebecca Barker

Michelle Bishop

Selina Bruce

Thomas Cashin

Mark Deverall

Susan Dickinson

Ben Dormer

Lauren Flint

Cassandra Gleeson

Anna Hudson

Katerina Kirkovski

Andrew Loughnan

Quentin Lydall

Di Makings

Mary Malone

Kate McLaren

Vicki Mills

Lynne Mullins

Ashley Crook

Jennifer O’Keeffe

Catherine Papke

Simon Piasente

Keelly Rae

Brad Smith

SimonTaylor

Matthew Walsh

Natalie Welsh

Joy Whiteside

Tania Willard

Meleah Zanos

Patrick Garner

Michael Nolan

Andrew Puskas

Jono & Jules Holt

Noel Klein

St Augustine’s Old Boys Assoc

Peter Matheson

John Bonnyman

Dr Pieter Scheelings

Pat Fitzgerald

Leigh and Eda Stevens

Harry Wilson

Brian Brushfield

Vijay Dalipram

Roger Heagney

Ben Morrissey

John Darcy

Trevor Whiteley

*All care has been taken to ensure accuracy of this list. You may have chosen to remain anonymous at the time of making your donation. If an unfortunate error has occurred, please accept our apologies and notify the Community and Development Office so we can amend our records.

In Remembrance

Nathan Bond (SJOC 1993)

Gabriel Clarke (SJOC 1975)

Norman De Grandi (SJOC 1941)

Kevin Higgins (SJOC 1968)

Leslie King (SJOC 1939)

We mourn the loss of the following Old Collegians in the past 12 months. Our hearts go out to you all as we pray “That God will welcome these faithfully departed into his loving arms. And that precious memories will be a comfort to those left behind, knowing that their love will live on in their hearts forever.”

Noel Moody (SJOC 1938)

Peter Nairn (SJOC 1966)

John Scarlett (SJOC 1966)

Terence Shanahan (SJOC 1952)

Contact our Community & Development Offi

ce: Phone: (03) 5226 8120

Julie Cole - Fundraising & Alumni Coordinator. julie.cole@sjc.vic.edu.au

Kristen Gleeson - Director of Community & Development. kristen.gleeson@sjc.vic.edu.au

Lauren Salcombe - Publications Officer & Website Manager. lauren.salcombe@sjc.vic.edu.au

Natasha Solczaniuk - Events Coordinator. natasha.solczaniuk@sjc.vic.edu.au

Susan Belluzzo - College Archivist. susan.belluzzo@sjc.vic.edu.au

Boarders Reunion

We warmly welcomed around 50 Old Collegians and partners to the 2019 Boarders’ and Day Students (1949-1965) Reunion. Special guest speaker John Callahan, recalled his days as a Boarder, including his fond memories of Br McCabe. A bursary to honour the work of Br McCabe has been established which will assist disadvantaged boys and will give them the opportunity of an education at St Joseph’s.

Memories of St Joseph’s Boarding School

I commenced as a day pupil while still in primary school, living with my uncle and aunty in Belmont. I used to return home by train. The reason I was sent to Geelong and to St Joseph’s College was in my fifth and sixth grade year at Barwon Downs Primary School there were 13 different teachers in the 2 years.

My boarding commenced in 1951 and I finished in 1956 when I was 16 years old. There were approximately 60 pupils in my class. The subjects taught were: English, French, Latin, History, Geography, Maths including Geometry, Trigonometry and Algebra.

Teachers: the best teacher of all was Br Stan McCabe, Br McApion in 6th grade, Br Mortenson a very tall man, Br Whiting, Br Esler, and Br Hackett who was in charge of the cadets.

In cadets we had our own rifle range out the back near the tennis and basketball courts. We used to take home our 303 rifles in the holidays, on the tram and train. Nobody took any notice. As cadets we went to Mildura and Puckapunyal by train for camps, complete with 303’s and also Bren Guns.

Brother Nelson taught us boxing in the ring with proper gloves and the Queensbury Rules. We all had to do this.

I became the ‘projectionist’ from a very early age at boarding school and showed the “pictures” every week

to the boys. It cost 1 shilling but I didn’t have to pay. Guess the shilling was my wage! The lads received 3 shillings and sixpence a week pocket money which was paid for in the school fees by our parents.

I also used to show foreign films to the migrants, of which there were many post war. I used to ride the Brothers’ bike down to the Pix Cinema in West Geelong. I became familiar with many different languages from the foreign films. Dutch was the easiest to understand. Many migrants came to Geelong and they were housed in hostels and Nissan huts at North Geelong.

At times, I would borrow the Brothers’ bike and go off riding and once I rode to Torquay on a Sunday and watched the surf carnival. I then rode back to St Joseph’s. I was never questioned about my whereabouts and never asked permission either and did not tell anyone!

One day, John Darcy and I were pushing the heavy cement roller on the cricket pitch. Darcy was riding on it when he fell off and the roller ran over him. He went bounding and leaping over the oval yelling in pain and I couldn’t stop laughing. Br Rahill was up on the balcony near his room and shouted out “What’s wrong son what’s wrong”!

One afternoon when we were going to play footy, I took a short cut through the dormitory and ran down the fire escape, slipped and, still holding my footy boots in the air, slid the rest of the way injuring my elbow. The Brothers did not believe me and I carried the injury for

a week. They finally sent me to Dr Jones in Aphrasia Street Chilwell and the x-ray showed that my elbow was fractured.

I was never top of the class, just putting in enough effort to get satisfactory passes. Br McCabe had a very positive influence during my teenage years. He was instrumental in running the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas for the annual school concerts which we performed at the Geelong West Town Hall. He also trained the choir and we performed at the Ballarat and Dandenong Eisteddfods.

After leaving St Joseph’s I returned to the family farm and still run beef cattle where my forebears settled in 1850. Apart from farm work, I had a business in the

computer industry for 22 years.

I joined the CFA in 1964 as a volunteer and progressed through the ranks over the years. I commenced aerial fire spotting being one of the first pilots to do so. Just last year I finished active aerial fire work, however, I am still flying regularly. In January 2019, I was honoured to get a mention in the Australia Day list and was awarded the Australian Fire Services Medal for distinguished service to Australian Fire Services, a Commonwealth award.

John Callahan AFSM.

(SJOCA 1958)

Br Dominic Mark (Stan) McCabe Bursary

The College Foundation, along with former students, is proud to announce the establishment of the Br Dominic Mark (Stan) McCabe Bursary, honouring his commitment and contribution to his students during their time at St Joseph’s College.

Br McCabe was a positive influence on not only the young students he taught, but also on those who joined in many a sporting game, stage production or were residents of the Boarding House. This remarkable man was an inspiration, friend and advisor to many over the 11 years he was at St Joseph’s.

Br McCabe is fondly remembered for his cheery disposition, encouragement and genuine concern for all

in his care. He had a wonderful rapport with his students and parents alike who were often singing his praises. He continued to positively shape the lives of many young men well into adulthood.

The Br D M McCabe Bursary will provide an education for disadvantaged Catholic boys who would not otherwise be in a position to attend St Joseph’s College. It will be supported by an endowment fund to exist in perpetuity and all gifts are tax deductible.

For further information regarding this Bursary Fund, please contact Fundraising and Alumni Coordinator Julie Cole Ph: 03 5226 8149

Email: julie.cole@sjc.vic.edu.au

College Production - Shrek

What is fun about productions?

Being in a production is amazing. I believe that the thing that makes productions so great is because we can go out on stage, have fun and forget about things that might be making you stressed and just have a good time. I also believe it is because you make so many new friends and build connections with teachers.

What are your favourite memories from ‘Shrek’?

The feeling of stepping out in front of an audience can be nerve-racking but amazing, it just gives you the chance to forget everything and have fun. My favourite memories are making more friends and having a great time.

Does it take much work to put on a show like Shrek?

The work that goes on behind the scenes, that the audience doesn’t know about, is non-stop - from the makeup, costumes, backstage team, directors, stage managers, lighting, vocal directors and so much more. Every dance, song and scene has so much work into it. Running a show is extremely hard work.

Would you recommend joining the production?

I would 100% recommend doing the production it is an incredible experience and you will have so much fun.

Josh Giblin

Year 9 Student & Shrek Cast Member 2019

Thank you all so much for this great experience! As my first ever lead role, it wouldn't have been such a great time without every one of you. Thank you to everyone for your work. Cast, crew and orchestra you are all amazing! I will miss you all so much! - Patrick Bongiorno (Donkey)

Old Collegians Association Committee

President Justin O’Brien 1988

Senior Vice President Sam Hopgood 2009

Junior Vice President Rob Hennessy 2001

Treasurer Sam O’Dwyer 2000

Administration Officer Nick Jahnecke 2009

Committee Members Joe Virgona 1969

Greg Thompson 1981

Tony Honner 1983

Simon Bryant 1994

Rhys Hegyesi 2016

Andy McNeel 2017

Liam Jelley 2017

Nathan Fox 2019

We would like to acknowledge and sincerely thank the many local businesses and companies who have generously supported our fundraising efforts throughout the year.

13th Beach Golf Club

63 Degrees

AGM Construction Supplies

All About Eve

Annie Clifforth Millinery

AQtive Business

Consulting

Arthur Reed Photos Arbonne Ark Clothing

Artist Photographer

Associated Cold Tread Tyres

Authentic Wellness and Beauty

Barwon Club

Barwon Edge Boathouse

Barwon Seafood

Basketball Geelong

Bean Squeeze

Bellarine Collection

Bellarine Memories Ocean Grove

Bellarine Uniform Supplies

Belmont Hotel

Bindokas Plumbing

Bistro St Jean

Blush Bar

Callaway Golf

Casey Bell Photography

Cellar Door

Coles Coaches

Collections for Women

Community Care Chemist

Corio Bay Health Group

Waurn Ponds

Costa Asset Management

Cotton On

Dickson Family

Dolder Family

Ebb And Flow

Eddy Elias

Element Stone

Elm Lifestyle

Flagstaff Museum

Warrnambool

Gartland Real Estate

Geelong Arts Centre

Geelong Cats

Geelong Confectionery

Geelong Gallery

Geelong Lyric Society

Ghanda

Gold Diggers Arms

Good Things Concept Store

Hair Free & Beauty

Higher Level Joinery

Hello World Ocean Grove

Hogans Axle Correction

Hop Inn Mt Duneed

Innovative Splashbacks

Imka Intimo

IST Auto Shop

Jovic Accounting

Jumpt

Just Because Store Highton

K Mac Powerheads

Kelly & Associates

Kennedy King

Kings Funerals

La Campa on Shannon Ave

Lanae

Lauren Barton Art

Livewire Park

Lorne Hotel

Louise King

Madison Browne

McHarrys Buslines

MD Dolder Builders

Merv Jennings Signs

Medical Centre Pharmacy

Milana’s Lingerie

Mind, Body, Salt

Minerva Road Grocer

Mitre 10 Moorabool Street

Movida Lorne

Mt Duneed Estate

Nest Seven

Oliver Bootmakers

Oxley Garages

Paul Hood from AFLW

Paywise Salary Packaging

Pearls & Roses

Peppers The Sands Resort Torquay

Pioneer Family Chiropractic

Pizzas With Attitude

Priceline on Pako

Quiksilver in Torquay

Quirk Collective

Rebel Sport

Recess Bar + Eats

Rip Curl

Rococo Hair Salon

Ross River Resort

Ruby and Leo

Salon Ge Jay

Sawyers Arms Tavern

Sip Sip by 63 Smellies

Smooth And Tan Specsavers

Stage Two Steigen St Goliath

Stockdale & Leggo

Teddy & Nola by Nicole Lucas

The Ark Clothing Co

The Gordon

The Happy Shoe & Scrubs Shop

The Laboratory

The Lorne Hotel

The Ponds Hotel

The Sands Torquay

The Valley Inn

Ticketmaster

Times News Group

Tokama Highton Personal Training

Tourism Greater Geelong & Bellarine

Trak Constructions

Travel Managers

Tupperware - Tamara Sullivan

Two Sugars Highton

Upstate Yoga

Village Cinemas Geelong

Warrnambool Golf Club

West Carr & Harvey

Westcoast Hair & Beauty Supplies

Winchelsea Trading

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