Gapuwiyak dhäwuNewsletter # 3, February/March 2006

Crèche Renovations - Open day!All the renovations at the crèche are finished and there will be an open dayon Monday the 10th of April. The new work includes a paint job, a newkitchen, a shade cloth, a bike track and a new shed. The crèche will beopen for the whole community to come and learn about the crèche, andmothers can come down and learn about cooking with a nutritionist who’svisiting from Nhulunbuy. Heather from Anglicare will be running the Play &Learn group, and Alison and the crèche staff welcome everyone to visit.

By Kate Monger.

The Women’s Centre now employs 9 work-ers and they are all very busy.

The Meals on Wheels Program providesmeals for 42 people 3 times a week.The Aged Care Program looks after 7old people who need more care than Meals onWheels, we help with transport and washing

clothes and blankets. Some old peoplecome to the Centre for a cup of tea,this is a good idea and we are happyto see people do this.

We have a bush trip once a week on Thursdayafternoons for the old people. If itsraining then those people cancome and watch a video or listento some music in the Centre.

The verandah has a new securityfence, and we will soon have some repairs to the inside and a bright new paint job on the out-side. We hope to buy a new washing ma-chine and dryer soon.

There will be a second handclothes sale this week, mostlywarm clothes for kids and babies.

The Centre now has Internet ac-cess for banking. We can only make thisavailable on Thursday and Fri-day afternoons between 2pmand 4pm. Anyone can use thisservice at those times.

Susan Ninikirri Wunungmurra is the TraineeCoordinator of the Women’s Centre andChrissie Mahoney is managing the AgedCare Program. Mavis Marrkula is still theKitchen Supervisor and the team of hardworkers include Linda Bidingal, Joy Bidingal,Edna Gawadu, Linda Gupumbu and Dorothy Galurrungu.Jimmy Markula drives the vehicle for meals on Wheels and bush trips.

Above: The new verandah at the women’s centre

Women’s Centre Djama

Index

Health news…..…………....2

CEO’s report…………….….2

Contact details..………….2

CDEP……………..………….…..3

Kidstuff………….…………….4

School holidays…….…….4

Above: Joy, Chrissie and Linda in the kitchen

Message from LaurieCouncil has been trying to provide a number of programs for

youth to stop people from getting bored. Unfortunately therehas been a lot of vandalism at Gapuwiyak since the start ofthe year, and it is very sad to see Community buildings and

equipment getting broken and vandalised.

I understand that people can become bored however by de-stroying community buildings and equipment it will not stop youbeing bored, it will just stop other programs being delivered.

COMPETITION!Council would like the young people of Gapuwiyak to give us

ideas on how to avoid boredom.

Council will offer a prize for the best idea from a young per-son with ideas on how to stop boredom and increase activities.

Please get your ideas to Mindy at the Council Office by Mon-day night 10th April 2006 and the winner will be announced on

Thursday night 13th April 2006.

LET’S TRY AND STOP THE BORDOM AND VANDALISMTOGETHER AT GAPUWIYAK. WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Gapuwiyak Health CommitteeThe Health Committee comprises members of the Petrol Sniffing Action Committeewhich was formed in August 2005 at a public meeting. They and other interestedparties have expressed a desire to be more widely informed on health matters andassist Council and Clinic to make decisions concerning Community Health educa-tion, promotional activities and service delivery.

This is a very welcome initiative.

Most have experience in health re-lated activities or Council services.

The members are: Micky Wunungmurra -Council Chairperson, Margaret Lewis - Community mem-ber, William Costigan - Acting Health Centre Manager,Kate Monger - Health Coordinator, Jimmy Marrkula - Tra-ditional Owner, Shirley Wunungmurra - Principal Gapuwi-yak CEC/ Council member, Linda Gupumbu - Communitymember, Dianne Wanambi - Administration Officer, SusanNinikirri - Women’s Centre, Helen Nyomba - Centrelink,Edna Gawudu - Women’s Centre, Lucy Armstrong - Com-munity member, Peter McDonald - CEC, Steven Ferguson- CEC, Shane Marshall - Housing Manager.

Housecleaning

It has come to councils attentionthat a lot of houses in our commu-

nity are very dirty inside.

This is a serious problem for thepeople who live in them and the

people who visit them.

Above: Work is still being done on the Multi-Purpose shed.The concrete is almost ready to be poured.

Multi Purpose Hall

Have you got something to contribute to Gapuwi-yak Dhäwu? Contact Mindy Greenwood on (08)

8987 9369 or e-mailmindy.greenwood@gapuwiyak.nt.gov.au

Dirty houses are full of germs, and germscause a lot of sickness like diarrhoea, skin

sores, scabies and hepatitis.

The council workers will not do any repairsin peoples houses unless they are cleaned

first.

This means if you need your stove fixed, oryour bathroom or toilet fixed, you have to

clean up first.

When the rooms are clean the workers willcome and fix anything that is broken.

If things are broken because of fights orsmashing things up, residents will have to

pay council for fixing them.

The council has made this rule be-cause we want to help people to

stay healthy.

Authorised by Gapuwiyak council

28.02.06

Messagefrom the shopALPA store would like to remind customers thatthe take-away is NOT for big shopping. Peoplehave to wait too long when someone in front isbuying all the weeks food from the take-away.Please do your weekly shop at the store and onlysmall shopping at the take-away.

Thank you to all our valued customers.

During the past 2 months, the CDEP participants have been work-ing hard in the following projects.

1. Oval Redevelopment – Although the wet season has createdboggy conditions more than any other areas.

2. Building Services: A number of houses have had decking re-placed and other repairs. The BRACS & Crèche buildings are inthe process of having major renovations done. The participantsmoved over from the Crèche to the Pre- School while the reno-vation was happening. The Multipurpose Hall will be completedin a Month.

3. The Parks & Gardens team has been working hard to keepahead of the fast growing weed problem since January.

4. The lake foreshore beautification pro-ject had to be put on hold during thattime to focus on higher priorities inthe community where health & hy-giene are the greatest concern. Overthe coming months work will be re-suming on projects started last year.

5. The BRACS participants have beenaway for some time and have askedto come of the program.

6. The Sports & Rec team also had interruptions caused by the wet sea-son. Even so they are drawing many young people into the activities.The Friday evening video & disco night are the real hit.

7. Some of the Homelands are looking great but, due to lack of partici-pants at some, there is still much tobe achieved.

8. The Night Patrol has been try-ing to curb the petrol sniffing bywriting down the names of theyoung people involved and talkingto their parents. I understand the

Council is also looking at this problem.

9. At present there are 4 participants at the school, two areworking as assistant teachers and the other two work inthe canteen and are doing a great job.

10. The Sanitary Services team also has a full-time job,picking up the community’s rubbish. Once again theCouncil is looking at ways to reduce scattered rubbish.Please help keep Gapuwiyak clean.

11. Whay walala marrkapmirri mala gungayurru walala latju-kunarawa wan-gawa.

12. TheHealth Clinichas 5 participants working there. Two of whom havedone some training this year towards becoming accred-ited health workers.

Summary:

Over the past four months accredited training have hasbeen delivered in the following CDEP activities:- Parks &Gardens, Crèche, Municipal Services and the HealthClinic.

There is still room for more people in this program. Ifyou want to join up or you have an idea to start a busi-ness come and see Geoff or Damien.

CDEP ReportBy Geoff Davey, CDEP Coordinator

Clockwise from top: Mor-gan, Jason, Michael, Mark &Richard. Mark with garbagebags. Michael refuelling the

mower.

Below: Donovan working inthe multi-purpose shed.

Above: Richard working on the tractor

Above: Volleyball is a regular after school activity

Last year we started work on new projects for the kids in our community. Here’s an update on how every-thing’s going:

Drop-In Centre: the drop in centre is still being renovated andshould be ready soon. We are waiting for the sinks and the floorto be finished. The drop-in centre will have:

A lounge area

An X-box and TV

A kitchen

A Soccer table

A chill out space

Start collecting your ownCD’s, DVD’s and X-box games to use inthe drop in centre.

Bike workshop: The bike workshop is ready to open – we needto organise a meeting with all the kids to go through the rules before it can open.

Youth forum: Some people in the community are worried that we’re not doing enough to give kids agood opportunity in life – so what should we do about it? Soon we will start holding monthly Youth Fo-rum’s – a chance for all the kids to get together and tell us what you want, what you don’t want, and howwe can help make your lives better. The youth forum’s will be organised by someone on council in the be-ginning, but the kids will decide on the rules.

Sport & Rec: The Sport & Rec team are back on board andshould be around playing sport every day after school at 4pm– if you can’t see them GO AND FIND THEM! The Sport & Recteam are: Bobby Bidingal, Darren Guyula, Amanda Wunung-murra, Eunice Wunungmurra, Timmy Bidingal, Kim Wunung-murra & Helen Dhamarrandji

Outside School Hours Care: Alison Wununmurra is back tocoordinating the outside school hours care activities including the drop in centre, bike shed, movie nightsand disco’s. Alison has been given lots of training in this area and knows people all over the NT who havelots of ideas, so hopefully Alison will introduce some exciting and new activities to keep you mob busy. It’salso Alison’s job to make sure we have plenty to do during school holidays, so if you’ve got an idea let herknow.

Kids stuff – Open day: The drop in centre and bike workshop will be opened on the same day and tocelebrate we are having a BBQ. Everyone is invited to come along and to check out the new centres. Thismay be the only chance the grown ups get to see the inside of the KIDS ONLY drop in centre!! Posters willgo up around the community when the BBQ is organised.

Above: Kids playing soccer near the basketball courts

Above: Wet season basketball in full swing

In the April school holidays we’re organising aHIP-HOP surprise for all the kids – make

sure you’re here from the 10th of April oryou’ll miss out!

Above: Soccer on the oval