Thank you to our amazing community for your ongoing support and generous donations towards the Community Spirit Tree, in partnership with Mt Evelyn Community House and Reading Room and Anglicare Victoria. Together, we have helped to "make a difference to a family in need this Christmas" in 2023.
Mt Evelyn Community House would like to thank the Mt Evelyn and Districts Community Bank Branch and Board along with the wider Yarra Valley Branches for their recent funding.
This funding will enable provision of social inclusion for families with children of all abilities in the Reading Room (former Library) and a focus on designated space for Carer supports and services.
We are very excited to be implementing our Social Inclusion Project 2021 and the positive benefits for local families.
Thanks again for this opportunity.
Shout out to all the Community Houses making a difference during these unprecedented times!
We are working hard behind closed doors to keep you connected and are looking forward to the day we can re-open our doors and welcome you back into the building!
For more information on Neighbourhood House Week go to https://www.neighbourhoodhouseweek.com/
Our journey began in August 2017 when Anna and I filled a van full of beautiful upholstery fabrics and saved them from landfill. The Mt Evelyn Community House then generously supported us by providing space to store fabric and sew, and by purchasing a silk screen plus ink to start printing pockets for our future bags until the group was able to repay these basic start-up costs.
After sewing consistently during September and October and making a bag stand we launched our group at the 2017 Mt Evelyn Street Party selling many bags and raising awareness in our community of our pledge to replace the single use plastic shopping bag with a beautiful reusable fabric bag.
We now have a wonderful band of volunteers who meet ever fortnight at the Community room to sew, laugh and eat while continuing to produce a steady stream of basic over the shoulder bags, produce bags and heavy duty shopping bags that match the style of bags sold by the major supermarkets.
We are very proud of our volunteers: Steve who helps with screen printing and cutting. He uses our custom made bags to deliver the local papers as well as photographing the bags he took to Japan recently to give to relatives. Win our octogenarian is an unstoppable force on a sewing machine and a delight to chat with, but don’t get between her and the food!
Sue and Christina who after sewing will take fabric home to make more bags to fill orders. Jacqui who will design a new style of bag and generously teach others how to make them while also sewing extra bags at home. Annie whose laugh is legendary and works an over-locker to death. Rebecca who will happily do any task required while her gorgeous daughter Francesca distracts the rest of us with a winning smile. Paula and Robyn who while sewing will keep us entertained with the most interesting discussions and donate books, ideas and other essentials.
We are here for the future so come and see us, buy a bag and have a chat to help us spread the word or volunteer to join us in our crusade against single use plastic. Sewing skills are not necessary as there is cutting, ironing, threading and folding required throughout construction. We would love some marketing and display skills if there are any on offer. It is not necessary to attend every fortnight as we know life is busy, but every little bit of help assist us to achieve the reduction of plastic waste in our environment and community.
Jo and Anna
After the huge success of previous year’s Community Spirit Tree projects, we are once again working in partnership with Yarra Valley Vineyard Church, Mt Evelyn & Birmingham Primary Schools and the wider community, assisting those in need.
You can help by donating a gift for children and teenagers, (up to the age of 16) and non-perishable food for hampers, under the Mt Evelyn Community House “Spirit Tree,” located at 50 Wray Cres, Mt Evelyn. (Library Building)
Gifts and food items will be collected and distributed to families in need within the Shire of Yarra Ranges.
Please place your gifts (gifts preferably unwrapped) and food such as shortbreads, fruit cake, Christmas bon bons, tins of food, pasta etc under the tree.
Gifts will be collected at 12:30pm on Monday 18 December, by our volunteer team and distributed to families in need by the Vineyard Church and local agencies.
Let's make a difference to a family in need this Christmas!
Welcome to our new website! We are so pleased to launch this interactive site where you can see what's happening at the Mt Evelyn Community House, book in for courses, apply to hire rooms and find out more about participation opportunities.
On Friday the 10 November we will be hosting the annual Community Campfire Night in collaboration with Scouts and the CFA.
It is a great night for the whole family with bands, sing-a-longs, food, activities and lots of fun! We will gather in the park next to the Mount Evelyn Scout Hall from 6pm.
Bookings are essential, you can book through the website or give us a call on 9736 1177.
Congratulations to Jarli who is the proud winner of the resplendent peacock!
The peacock is a symbol of the integrity and beauty we can achieve when we endeavour to show our true colours. Created through a collaboration between our Mix It Up Art participants from Melba Support Services and our Monday and Thursday art groups. It was on display and raffled as part of the fantastic Melba Able Bakehouse High Tea.
The first step in the peacock's creation was to create the paper which would form its feathers. Through sponging a range of colourful paper was created which was then cut into feather shapes. Peacocks where then outlined on the two canvases and using watercolours a background was added. The body of the peacocks then slowly built using the beautifully coloured feathers.
If you love the peacock as much as we do, there are cards available from the community house for $4.
One of the peacocks was raffled, and the other will have pride of place in the community house.
Are you caring for a person with a mental illness? Do you want to know more about the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)? The program covers information the carer will need to be prepared for the NDIS with a mental health perspective.
Yarra Ranges Council and Villa Maria Catholic Homes (VMCH) in partnership with Carers Victoria are offering a four-part program for carers which aims to assist you to prepare for the NDIS.
When: 2018, dates and times to be confirmed (refreshments provided)
Where: Mount Evelyn Community House
50 Wray Crescent, Mount Evelyn
Session 1: Understanding the NDIS
Carers will gain an understanding of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the necessary steps to engage in the NDIS.
Session 2: Starting on the NDIS plan
Carers will explore and build the necessary skills and knowledge which will help with pre-planning and to learn options of managing the plan with a person centred approach.
Session 3: Effectively engaging with the NDIS
This session will explore supports options for a person with mental illness and the carer and learn about plan management options.
Session 4: Making your voice heard
This session will provide carers with an overview of their prevailing rights and the rights of the person you care for, ways to advocate, and strategies to communicate effectively with professionals in the service sector.
Phone: VMCH - 1300 971 720
Email: hspcommunityengagement.easternmetro@vmch.com.au