Four high profile graduates of Good Samaritan Colleges who have gone on to make significant contributions to Australian life are joining forces with the Sisters of the Good Samaritan to help disadvantaged students access a Good Samaritan education.
On Sunday October 21, Elizabeth Proust, Malarndirri McCarthy, Krystal Barter and Cheryl Akle will be special guests at a luncheon in Sydney that aims to establish a scholarship fund for students in need.
Hosted by the Good Sams Foundation, which promotes and raises funds for vital outreach projects operated by the Good Samaritan Sisters and their partners, the luncheon is the first event for the NSW Friends of the Good Sams Foundation.
According to one of the organisers, Peter O’Reilly, for many years the Good Sams Foundation has supported “excellent projects” in Brisbane and Melbourne, as well as overseas in Kiribati, the Philippines and Timor Leste.
“In Brisbane and Melbourne the focus has been on providing accommodation for families in distress. Our thinking in the Sydney ‘Friends of the Foundation’ has been to assist students who may not be able to take advantage of a Good Sams education,” he explained.
“We based our plan on the central importance of a good education no matter what direction life eventually provides.”
About 300 guests are expected to attend the luncheon which includes a three-course meal and wine.
“We are keen to see ex-students, parents and friends of ex-students, and those in the broader Sydney community, whose lives have been touched by the Good Samaritan Sisters when they staffed so many of our Sydney schools,” said Peter.
“Our hope is to raise about $15,000 which we then will offer as $5,000 scholarships, together with scholarships already donated, to assist potential students ‘in necessitous circumstances’.”
Peter said a highlight for guests will be hearing MC, Cheryl Akle, engage Elizabeth Proust, Malarndirri McCarthy and Krystal Barter in a conversation about the varied paths each of the women have taken both personally and professionally, since completing their education.
About the four former students…
Elizabeth Proust is a former student and school captain of St Mary Star of the Sea College, Wollongong, and has held leadership roles in the private and public sectors in Australia for over 30 years. Elizabeth is Chairman of Nestle Australia Ltd, Chairman of Bank of Melbourne, to name but two of her major business appointments. She has also been involved in a range of business, arts, charitable and university business boards, for which she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2010.
Malarndirri McCarthy is an Australian politician and has represented Arnhem in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2005. Malarndirri is a Yanyuwa woman from Borroloola in the Northern Territory. She attended school in Boorroloola, Alice Springs and St Scholastica’s College, Glebe, where she was school captain in 1988. Before politics, Malarndirri worked for 16 years as an ABC journalist and newsreader. In that time she worked on the award-winning documentaries, “Stolen Children” and “A Dying Shame”.
Krystal Barter founded Pink Hope in 2009 at the age of 28 years after recovering from a preventive double mastectomy. Krystal is an ex-student of Stella Maris College, Manly. Pink Hope was created to be a place where women who were at a high risk of developing cancer could access support and information any time of the day or night. Krystal has been widely recognised for her charity work, management and creation of Pink Hope. Among many other business awards, Krystal was a 2012 finalist for the Young Australian of the Year.
Cheryl Akle is an ex-student of St Scholastica’s College, Glebe and has a background in the book industry – as a buyer, bookstore manager and proprietor, marketing manager and industry consultant. Cheryl is the Project Director of “Get Reading”, the co-host of the new book show For the Love of Books on subscription arts channel STUDIO, a book reviewer on Melbourne’s Radio 3AW and, until recently, appeared regularly on the TV show The Circle.
More information?
What? Fundraising luncheon: “Our students do amazing things!”
When? Sunday October 21, 2012 @ 12 noon
Where? Trixie Forest Centre, St Scholastica’s College, 4 Avenue Road, Glebe Point
Cost? $100 per person (Lunch includes entree, main and sweet mini desserts to have with coffee. Wine will be served)
Bookings? Mary Robinson, Good Samaritan Offices Ph: (02) 8752 5303. If you can’t attend the luncheon, perhaps you’d like to make a donation online at the Good Sams Foundation?
