Community
12 September, 2025
Taking the plunge for Let’s Talk
CLOSE to 50 Mercy Regional College (MRC) students and staff braved the frosty morning last Friday to take a dip for mental health awareness.
MRC’s Dip for Mental Health saw the strong crowd take the plunge at Lake Bullen Merri’s South Beach to raise awareness and funds for Let’s Talk Foundation.
Senior school community leader Berni Sinnott said she was “rapt” with the participation levels for the dip.
“I feel like there’s a few extra from last year and a big response from our junior campus,” she said.
“Hopefully that means, over the years, it will continue to grow because the VCE-VM students did a really good job organising – they planned it from start to finish.
“They organised to have all the prizes and all the food donated.
“It hasn’t cost them anything to run the day, so everything will be 100 per cent profits.
“There have been people who haven’t attended but have donated as well, so that has been good because not everyone can make it on the day.”
Lucia Clarke, who was among the students who braved the cold weather, said she was proud to have participated.
“It’s hard to get up, but it’s alright after you’re in there,” she said.
“I think it’s good what we’re doing it for.”
After 10 minutes in the water, students went to school and warmed up with hot showers before enjoying egg and bacon rolls and hot drinks for breakfast.
Ms Sinnott said she was appreciative of everyone’s efforts, including the staff who gave up their time to help facilitate the morning.
“There were staff and students back at the school cooking the barbecue and making the hot drinks,” she said.
“It takes a big team and the kids do a really good job of coordinating it.
“They have to have conversations they don’t always like to have – they’d rather just send a message.
“They had to go and ask for donations and ask for help – it ticks off all their competencies for their VM program.”
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