Community
6 March, 2024
Cobden Probus Club notes
COBDEN Probus Club president Kevin welcomed 39 members to the first meeting of the year.
We had six members celebrate their birthdays over January and February – our best wishes to you all. Also a special 68 years wedding anniversary to Margaret and Lou Matthews.
The guest speaker for February was Merv Edmonds, who spoke of his involvement in a program with the outback Indigenous people in the Northern Territory.
Merv was a past teacher at the Cobden Technical School – and after retirement and hearing of the remarkable teachings in mental health, he went to England to study the new teaching approach in Psychotherapy.
After returning from England, Merv and Robyn made their way to the Northern Territory to help with counselling and a new way with therapeutic methods.
Merv found the oldman and yarning stories to be of great importance in the recovery with the family connection and also with behaviour problems.
After years of success with this program, unfortunately he has no more involvement with the program in the Northern Territory.
Merv said it was a culmination of issues – one being COVID, the second being Indigenous lifestyle and the third being the political saga with the Voice – which were all detrimental to the continuation of the program.
On behalf of all members, president Kevin thanked Merv for his informative and generosity with all the work he has done with First Nations people.
Our next meeting is Thursday, March 14 at the Heytesbury Room of the Cobden Civic Hall at 10am.
The meeting is also the annual general meeting. All positions are open for nomination, if you could offer your services in any role you would be made most welcome.
Don’t forget to wear your Easter Bonnet for the March meeting.