Choose your own adventure… 27/7/2023
 
This week we were indecisive as a group as to what our topic was going to be.
We had suggestions of Influencers, food, unusual hobbies, and lifestyle. In the end we agreed that we would choose our own adventure because we couldn’t decide on just one!
 
We even have a “guest blogger” Jeff the umbrella bear who was assisted by Shan to write about him.
 
Hello from Jeff the Umbrella Bear 
Today I am writing Shan's blog as a guest writer and I am going to talk about me!  
For those who don’t know I am Jeff Umbrella or Jeff the Umbrella Bear. I am 2 years old and was born in eBay land. Before I joined the “Handmade” group, I was just a lonely yellow bear waiting for a home in eBay land. Shan and Britt were brainstorming and wanted to have a bear to have adventures with like a buddy bear (I'm so much better than a buddy bear!) so I guess you could say I was the chosen one. I travelled all the way from eBay land to Cindy’s house (Cindy is the Director at Umbrella Support), and I became a pretty big deal. I was given my name by my good friend Oli who is amazing at choosing names!  
 
Like a buddy bear each week I go to a different Handmade by US participant’s house and go on adventures with them, it’s very exciting for me because I never know what I'm going to do next, and I'm always so welcomed in everyone's home. I have a special book that each person can write in or stick photos in that have been taken during my weeks' stay. I always get to join in the Handmade by US craft and mindfulness program on Mondays at Balla Balla community Centre.  
 
Most recently I helped represent Umbrella Support at the Marnebek Community and Careers Expo, I am the mascot after all, and I take my duties very seriously, I had a sign that explained who I was and as always, I was a big attraction. I had a wonderful time giving out fidget toy keyrings and made some new friends one of my new friends nearly took me home with him. Cindy said I needed to stay at the table with her, but he got a fidget toy keyring to take home instead.  Daz from Radio Voice was also there, I always have a good time when Daz is around.  
Thank you everyone for reading this blog about me and I hope you enjoy all the blogs written by my good friends at Just Write!  Jeff (Shan).
 
 
For some odd reason, I’ve always had affiliation with empathy and feelings, I always thought it was just cause I was so soft spoken and centered but that changed when I found out about tarot and oracle cards, out on a whim I brought a deck one day and tried it, I didn’t think it would work but I started getting better and better with it which lead me to look more into this side of life, a spiritual lifestyle, I learned with my empathy I could do more for people while reading their cards, I started self-teaching myself on another aspect within the spiritual lifestyle called Chakras, whenever I do this or talk about this topic I get a sense of tingles in my fingers and hands like the energy flowing through at what I type, it’s a very calming feeling and I want to express more with this topic, but I’m afraid at what people will think of this, some just do for money others just want to make a world a better place, me I just want that, just knowing I could help someone change their lives for the better through this weird but wonderful gift I call spiritual lifestyle, I want people to know what I do isn’t meant to be scary or a scam because unfortunately there are people like that, but some people have to make a living don’t they?
As a closing statement let me do a small reading to bring your spirits up today, This reading is about colors and what they mean to you. “Blue” “blue can assist you to activate your healing powers and increase vitality, it has a calming effect when people feel nervous, manic or overexcited. Blue contains antiseptic qualities which help to heal burns, stop bleeding and relieve fevers, blue can also help with soothing nervous irritations and increase your metabolism, that being said try to wear some blue today. Holly
 
Welcome to our blog. Today I chat about a fantastic cafe of which I happen to be a part of. 
Each Thursday eight Umbrella Participants work at a cafe called Every 1 Cafe it's located at Amstel Club. It's a skills-building café where coffee, milkshakes, and soup are available for a gold coin donation. The money raised goes towards the participants for a group activity later in the year.
 
We make milkshakes with fancy decorations and the coffee is the best in Melbourne. Every 1 Cafe is located at Amstel Club every Thursday including school holidays from 1:30pm to 3:30pm. It’s a beautiful atmosphere for the customers to enjoy. We even have social media on Instagram and Facebook check it out. 
 
Salvos is a large community organisation which helps loads of people in need. I work at one of the stores in the South East of Melbourne. I work on the registers with support from staff. I also help package donations for our online store which is huge and has heaps of products online. Feel free to check it out. The money we raise goes to provide support, counselling and plan long term strategies that will give those struggling hope for a furture. I believe everybody should be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their situation. I’m proud to part of this amazing organisation who gives back to the  community and many ways. Scarlett
 
 
 
Let’s take a take a journey  of my typical  day at Vinnies .I work every Tuesday, morning from 9:00am to 12:00pm . When I arrive I look round and see what needs to be done. I see the toy cage over flowing I think to myself “Where the heck do I start”? After a deep breath I begin to sort the toys. They are sorted according to their cleanliness and if they can be sold. If they can’t, they get binned .
 
The remaining toys are cleaned priced and then put on display to be sold. Some weeks I need help with this job. There is fun times when I get to dress up with all the masks and clothing. Sometimes  I get to help in different areas such as bric-a-brac , media, clothing, linen, electrical at the end of my shift  I am exhausted. I am honoured to be a part of a great team at Vinnies. The staff have made me so pound of my achievements, I have been working for Vinnies for 5 years. Everyone should give volunteering a go because you will learn new skills like myself.
 
 
 
 
Why did St Vincent de Paul help the poor?
Born in 1581, Vincent de Paul was a holy and contemplative man who saw that love of God needed a practical demonstration and that the face of God was found in the poor. As a young man he ministered to and tutored the powerful.
 
How do Vinnies volunteers help?
We combine a unique pairing of professional services alongside volunteer-led assistance. Our volunteers help people who are often living below the poverty line by providing financial assistance to pay rental arrears or advocacy to real estate agents and other agencies.
 
What does Vinnies do to help people?
The St Vincent de Paul Society has members and community-focused Vinnies Support Centres right across NSW. They provide people in immediate crisis with food, clothing, other everyday essentials, help with bills, a friendly face to listen and importantly referrals as needed to other helpful services. Jess.
 
 
 
My favourite Dhar Mann videos (it’s a true story) is the one with the Actor named Grace Marie Geren because she had to deal with being born with Down Syndrome and being bullied and teased for both her Down syndrome and love of unicorn themed stuff.  On top of that as well she was crushed and in a very emotional state but her mum did not back down when all of this started to spread. This story went viral and touched everyone then later on everyone treated her much better. Phillip
 
 
Stradbroke Island is just a 25 minutes boat ride from Brisbane on the Redlands Coast. I went on trips there before Covid with my friend Bailey and his family for the first time.
The best time for me was when I got the chance to sail a boat with my friend Bailey’s dad while I was there my friend told me I'm good at sailing a boat it was so much fun. I think many people don't know about this beautiful Island I was lucky my childhood friend brought me along with him.
North Stradbroke is the second largest Island in the world it has one of the best spots for diving in Australia, they are surrounded by beautiful beaches, wildlife, lakes, and wetlands. I even saw an eagle but I didn't remember the name. I am grateful to have travelled around Australia I loved it so much and I am so excited about my next trip which is going to be to America with my dad. TJ
 
 
Hi again it's me Charlotte and this year in September I'm going to Brisbane Queensland to visit my Aunty Anci, (some people  at work call her Anastasia), my uncle Steven and my two cousins names are Istvan for the oldest cousin and my youngest cousin name is Silard. I am so excited to see all of them and excited to go on holiday on my own to Brisbane Queensland without my family.
I'm going to take our Umbrella Support teddy bear Jeff.
What are the things I'm looking forward to? The things I am looking forward to are going to Gold coast theme parks and hopefully going with my aunty Anci and helping my uncle Steven with cooking and trying new things with our Umbrella bear Jeff. Charlotte
 
 
Hi my name is Angelina and I am back blogging! Yay! 
I got back from Vanuatu 2 weeks ago and oh boy it was tropical and beautiful. The flight was about an hour from Melbourne to Sydney. First let me tell you how me and my family got to Vanuatu! 
First me and my family woke up at 3:00am (in the morning) and got ready because the maxi taxi was taking us to the Melbourne airport. When the maxi taxi arrived, the driver popped our luggage in the back of the maxi taxi (the boot). While the driver was popping our luggage in the boot me and my family were getting into our seats and we were all belted up as soon as the driver closed his door he started driving us to the airport. As soon as we got to the airport we were lining up for Qantas international departure, they were checking our bags and putting them on the cargo (which was underneath the plane). We were going through all sorts of things such as duty free, security checks and more. Eventually we made it to the airplane, and we were given an early flight off to Sydney we went! When we got to Sydney we were told it was only one runway available for all international flights. So, we waited and waited eventually we got on the plane to Vanuatu, which took 6-7 hours. When we arrived at Port Vila, Vanuatu it was so beautiful, we were so tired that we just checked in and went to bed.  
The next day, we woke up and got dressed for brekky. It was an open buffet and I had waffles and orange juice. My family had fruit, yogurt, juice and eggs. We went to the souvenir market in Vanuatu city. It was amazing their city and markets. When we finished with souvenir market we went back to the hotel and relaxed and swam I the pool.  
The rest of our 10-day holiday was spent relaxing, swimming and enjoying quality time with the family. 
I felt so exhausted and relaxed but it was a great family holiday. I cant wait to go back! 
What was your favourite family holiday? Angelina

A moment I’ll never forget…
 
Readers, you’re in for a treat today!
We have recently been told by so many of you that you’re enjoying learning more each week about our talented writers and today, is no different. In fact, this one is going to be possibly our best to date! Its all about moments and they're BIG ONES! 
​We also welcomed Holly to our creative writing group and we were so impressed with the work she submitted. Keep reading to find out why. 

​On December 8th 2021, I graduated from Emerson School.
Every year 12 student had to make a speech so the audience knew their favourite memory.
I was very nervous as it was my first time doing a speech in front of a huge crowd. I practiced my speech loads of times to not let the nerves kick in. It made me feel happy that there were so many of people I knew there. I did my speech full of confidence and did not let my worries get to me which was a positive step.
I mentioned what I loved during my time at Emerson and my favourite memories and achievements. Some of my favourite memories were learning heaps of hospitality skills and completing Certificate two and three at Gre8.
 I even received a leadership award. I was shocked and very happy. I had happy tears I got a circuit machine as my prize and then I didn’t have to make a speech but I had the confidence to step out of my confront zone to thank all the staff and my friends for helping me during my journey through school. I had a lot of emotions when reading my speech because I was so grateful for everything I had achieved during my time at school. - Scarlett.

At 7:30am on a Thursday morning in April 2016, I walked through a very quiet Fountain Gate Shopping Centre to meet my Idol Delta Goodrem at the “Dear Life” Meet and Greet. There were two people who got to Fountian gate earlier than I did (can you believe it). I don’t remember the time Delta was supposed to turn up but all of us in team Delta had made it our mission to make a day of it. We were not going to miss an opportunity to celebrate the release of Dear Life.  
The first 100 people to buy the Dear Life single got to meet Delta and I was the 3rd person to turn up for the meet and greet and one of the first 10 to buy the single. The group I ended up hanging out with decided we should all buy white shirts and write dear life and #teamdelta on them. I bought my Innocent Eyes album with me to get signed by Delta because it was the first ever album I got of Delta’s and is a very important album to me.  
When it came time to meet Delta, I got super excited and anxious and walking up to her was an unreal experience, I said hi to her and then couldn’t say another word to her, (what a fun time to go mute) but she gave me a hug and signed my Innocent Eyes Album. To say I was over the moon was an understatement. After spending all day waiting to meet my beautiful and talented idol it became a reality and oh my goodness, It was a moment I will never, ever forget.  
It was also my dad’s birthday on that day......  Shan

Myself and Robert were away on a holiday with each other, we went to Aslings Beach in Eden. Looking out at the sea I was enjoying the view of the scenery. I had no idea what he was doing. I was feeling happy, and relaxed. 
Suddenly he was talking to me, I turned around to him, I looked over and saw he was down on one knee. I was overwhelmed Robert asked me to marry him. I laughed then I said yes. I gave him a big hug. We were both over the moon. That’s when the ring come out. It’s a beautiful single diamond. I love it. I then noticed we had an audience. They were cheering.  I just wanted to call the family. I also called Cindy they were so happy for me.  5 years we’ve been together and been engaged for 18 and a half months. 
Have you ever had a moment like this?
Have you ever been engaged before? - Jess

A memory I will never forget is when I had a sit down meeting with the executive chef of Amstel. His name is chef Andrew. The reason for the sit down discussion was to discuss my family’s cultural Hungarian food recipe for stuffed cabbage soup.
How did I feel?  I felt a mix of emotions: anxious, calm, happy, excited and I wanted to cry happy tears because Andrew is thinking about using my family recipe for the Umbrella / Amstel group cooking class. It would be my dream to have our family soup on the Amstel menu one day. I just want to say how proud I am of myself and my family.
Do you have a moment you'll never forget? - Charlotte.


A day I’ll never forget was when I went on a trip to Japan, I convinced my mother to do this experience in Kyoto, she wasn’t sure about this experience but still she gave it a go, it was the weirdest but most wonderful feeling, the experience was a guided tour to Kyoto with a Kimono rental included, we booked it in 2 days in advanced but mum wasn’t too keen on wearing but, at the end of the day she thought it was the best experience ever and I have to agree with her.
It started at our hotel, we waited at the pick up point in Osaka at 9am, we got picked up in a minivan with a tour guide and driver and a trainee tour guide, we drove a hour into Kyoto while the tour guide talked about the scenery while driving into Kyoto, we got to the rental house about 10:15am and that’s when we started to pick our Kimonos, Mum chose a really pretty pink Kimono while I went for something light and blue, they even did our hair which took about a hour to do everything, the kimono rental was based in a traditional Japanese house, the stairs were quite steep along with the socks and wooden thongs, which was surprisingly quite comfortable given the fact that they were wooden shoes. Holly 


A moment I will never forget Is meeting Dylan Alcott. We first met in 2019 I was in one of his campaign videos called Remove the Barrier Foundation which is about what problems that people with disability face in their everyday life and also problems they face in the workplace. It was a proud moment for me to meet a sports celebrity He was very cool I was happy that we got to hang out together we had a fun time working together and we have been friends since then.
I'm so proud of Dylan because he has worked so hard for what he has done in his life and he works on a lot of projects to help people with disability he's a great example of people to follow.
What I have learned from Dylan Alcott is to listen, try your best, work hard, keep going and enjoy the moment. TJ


Many moments that I will never forget is when I became a celebrity since I was on the Sunrise morning show twice with Bam and the All Star with all abilities dance crew. I met Sam Mac and I did my number one move called human pretzel on live TV.
I was on Dancing with the Stars extras, I was called down to dance floor with a dance partner and I met Grant Denyer. 
 Since I met Geoff Shaw our past Frankston state MP for very first time this made me famous.
 I am famous on Facebook due to my recipes and all my songs that I did for my CD Album
 I use to be in a group call BAM they had talent show on zoom, out of know where Delta Goodrem appeared. I was surprised and my heart went over the moon. I was telling her about the song she writes. She said "You are the Man after my own Heart". Phillip

Well there you go!
Once again this team of writers have shared their thoughts and memories and we are loving each new addition that is shared.

See you next week when we return to..... JUST WRITE! 
​

Three cheers for us!
Hip Hip Hooray!! – We deserve those cheers because we are so proud of ourselves.
That’s how we are all feeling today knowing that we are so proud of something we have done, are doing, or have contributed to. THAT moment! The one when the entire world stops for a single moment and we smile so big to ourselves knowing that we have done something SO good! It’s almost like a little party happens but no one else is invited. Have you felt like that before? It’s a feeling no one can take away. These are the moments we are proud to share with you today.
 
I have been a bridesmaid/maid of honor twice and I have never been prouder to be asked to be a part of an important day in my best friend's lives. 
 
For the first person's wedding I was asked via video chat to be a bridesmaid, my mum and sister were there too and of course when I was asked, I said yes! This was my first time being a bridesmaid and I really wanted to be the most helpful I could be. We did dress fittings together, looked at flowers, talked about the bridesmaid's dresses (dusty pink dresses with nude shoes), put the names on all the place cards, tackled the vinyl for the signing board, had a bridal shower in the park, did the rehearsal and got through any challenges or stress that came our way.  
 
For the second person's wedding I was unofficially asked in passing while helping to put together the bridesmaid's boxes and was officially asked with a beautiful box that had a card in it that asked if I would be her maid of honor. I officially said yes and was there to help with anything that I was needed for. Being invited to help her pick her dress and the bridesmaids dresses together with the other bridesmaids was such a privilege. The bridesmaid's dresses were a purple the bride's favorite colour with shoes to match her beautiful sparkly wedding dress. I wrote a speech for the newly married couple and read it out to them on the day.  
 
What I am most proud of is that I got to see two of my best friends be brides and they trusted me enough to be a part of the journey leading up to and on the day. Seeing them walk down the aisle toward their future husband, which was magical and beautiful.  
Both wedding journeys were very different but the love I have for my beautiful best friends is the same. The dresses were stunning, the flowers amazing, the groomsmen looked very well put together, the photos afterwards were perfect, they chose such gorgeous venues, the atmosphere was great and honestly could not have been happier for my best friends and their husbands.  – Shan
 
 
My name is Jessica but I go with Jess.  
I am proud of myself because I am engaged to Robert. I have been engaged for 16 months. I have learnt so much throughout the years I don’t know where to start. My family are so proud of my achievements.  
 
I’m here to talk about my family. I am a pound Aunty to four nephews they are all different ages. I also have 3 Nieces. Jagger, April, and Mack. They are different ages too. I enjoy having them around. I also have siblings. I have two amazing sisters and a sister-in-law. 
 
My nephews 
 Age 11Cooper: He is a big fan of Essendon and he plays football and basketball. He is also school house captain. 
Age 10: Mason:  He is funny when he can be. 
Age 9: Asher:  He got dreadlocks and he loves my fiancé Robert.  
 
Nieces 
Age 3 Jagger. She is the sweetest and she is a mummy’s  girl. 
Age 15 April. She plays local football. 
Age 13: Mack. She loves art. 
 
My siblings 
Lisa is my older sister, she’s a hard worker. 
Sarah is the youngest in the family. 
Sister in law.  Lexie kind and loves singing.  
Mum is the mother of the house and a hard worker.
Dad is the man of the house.  
Bob is my bother in law he is the biggest sport fan. 
Robert is my man. He is a hard worker and he is the coolest dad alive. 
 
Thanks for reading about what I am proud of. – Jess.
 
 
I'm proud of myself because I won at bowling and my friend Cody shared his bowling ball with me. We love sharing and hanging out together, of course, we are brothers.
Cindy picks me and Cody up every Wednesday morning and we meet up with my other friends Britt, and Jess C, and “Umbrella Jessy” (our support worker) was also there too. I like bowling because I like to win and I love spending time with my M8 (mate) but yesterday I was so happy I had four strikes and won the second game which made me so proud I even did my happy dance. My friend Cody always wins. He's very good at bowling but sometimes I get to win too at friendly game with my friends. - TJ
 
 
Welcome to our blog today I chat about my proudest moment of getting my first paid job. I’m going to explain my journey. It started when I got a Facetime call from Cindy and she said I had a job interview at Amstel Club I was over the moon when she told me with joy and emotions.
 
On the day of the interview (nearly 12 months ago) I was excited and nervous because I had never met the people who were interviewing me. Have you ever had a Job interview? How did you feel? I had my job interview at Amstel Club with the bistro manager and Dan the Managing Director. they made me feel welcome, comfortable and relaxed. I wore a dress to the interview as it’s important to look professional for an interview.  
 
They asked many questions such as “Tell me about yourself, activities, do you have work experience and especially why did I want to work at Amstel". I was feeling happy during the interview and I was very relaxed. The interview went on for around 30 minutes. I was a bit nervous about whether I would  get the job. Luckily Dan, at the end of the interview told me I got the position at Amstel. I was proud of myself and couldn’t believe what I had accomplished.
 
My First shift was very nerve wracking but the longer I have been there the more comfortable I have become. We first learnt how to refill the salt and pepper shakers and then we learned how to set tables and then started serving customers. I’m loving it so much it’s making me so proud. My advice for anybody who is nervous or anxious for a job interview is to not overthink and believe in yourself. You can do it. 
 
Over the last 12 months, I’ve learned so many new skills in the hospitality industry.
 
I’m grateful for  Amstel for all the opportunities they have given me. – Scarlett.
 
 
My proudest moment of 2023 is getting awards at my SPECTACULAR school called Marnebek. Some of my awards are SWPBS (School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support) award, house colour award and learning neighborhood award. It makes me feel like I have accomplished my hard work and the school staff there are great. Especially My teacher who is FANTASTIC because she stands by me all the time when she can. One of the teachers over at Marnebek helped me get into a TAFE retail course and I appreciate her for her hard efforts helping me get into this retail course.
 
My course that I’m doing at TAFE is retail because I always liked the idea of fashion and accessories. I would like to work behind a cash register. I go to my retail classes one day a week on Wednesday’s, and it makes me feel tired but happy at the same time.
 
On Wednesday’s I wake up and I remember that I have TAFE and I say to myself “I don’t want to go but I have to”. I don’t like going to TAFE because it’s boring and not fun but I have to go and prepare myself for the big world. As soon as I get dressed and eat my breakfast I hop in the car and mum drives me to TAFE. When I arrive, I sign in and get to work on my workbook. In my workbook some of my subjects are product visual merchandise, how to deal with angry aggressive customers and follow point-of-sale procedures. 
 
This makes me feel proud, what makes you feel proud or accomplished? – Angelina.
 
 
My Biggest passion was to know my Ancestry and culture and where I come from.
After the results come back I went deeper into my Ancestry until I found that I have a British culture.

There are so many different cultures in Australia. Examples like European, Latin Americans, African Americans, islanders, and Asian cultures.

My biggest discovery is that there is a thin-line that I am possibility related to King James 6th and the 1st of Scotland and England.
My advice if you want to find where your ancestry/ culture is to go ancestry app not only find your ancestry but also your culture as well. - Phillip.
 
 
 What are you proud of?  I’m proud of myself for being able to learn to drive because it’s going to help me to become more independent and not to rely on others to drive me  places. How does it make me feel? I feel happy and confident because when I am learning to drive. I am used to driving now and that’s why I feel happy and confident.
 
When I first started my driving lessons I felt anxious and nervous because it was my first driving lesson and I’d never driven before. It is so much fun now to learn how to drive. How did I get there? Well first I always practiced online on the VicRoads practice test. I did 32 practice test questions over and over and over again. It felt like a hundred times. Then I moved on to  the online test. There were three topics. The first one was called how to drive, the second one was called hazards and third and last one was called road signs. With all three topics I not only had to get  three keys but I also had to complete all the questions to pass. Then I had to go into VicRoads with all my paperwork like:
My  birth certificate
My student id
My passport
I had to pay for it on line
They took a photo of me too.
 
Then I got my learners diving card and after that started doing my driving lessons. I do driving now every Saturday morning. Some Saturday mornings I start at 9am till 10am and some Saturday mornings I do driving lessons from 10:30 am till 11:30am. My mum who is the best mum ever takes me every Saturday to my driving lessons.

Do you remember the first time you drove or are you doing driving lessons now? – Charlotte.
 
 Okay, you can all pick your jaws up from the ground now!
We will assume that you are as proud of our team as we are learning so much about their achievements and proud moments.

​Blogging is so much fun. We have so much to offer so we will be back next week once again to share our thoughts with you as we…. JUST WRITE! – Cindy. 
​

​Visual Entertainment Blog 13/7/23
 
Do you have a favourite book, movie, TV show, series, or have you seen a live show that was unforgettable?
We decided to blog about what we are calling “Visual Entertainment”.  This topic covers lots of different entertaining platforms.
We also welcomed Phillip into our blogging group and discovered that he has a lot to offer in this space. So, let’s get ready to read about what our team discovered.

​Welcome to our blog. Today I will chat about the musicals I have been to. 
In musicals, I love how they explain the many different stories. Most of the musicals have either been at Her Majesty's Theatre or Bunjil Place in Melbourne. I went to some of these musicals with my family. Have you ever been to Bunjil Place or Her Majesty’s Theatre? They are both great venues to watch live shows or musicals.
 
I went to Wicked which is about two witches where one witch became the Wicked Witch and the other became Glinda the good Witch. I even have a book that tells me some information about Wicked and the actors too.
 
 I saw Grease which is one of my favourite movies of all time. I love the songs like Summer Nights and Grease Lighting. Grease is about a girl name Sandy who starts a new  school and she bumps into an old friend named Danny. 
Have you ever seen the Movie Grease or the Musical?
 
I also went to the Sound of Music which is a great movie. It includes great songs like Do Re Mi and So Long Farewell. It’s about a nun who likes to play music for family. 
 
I also went to see the Wizard of Oz which has a girl name Dorothy in it who wears red slippers and travels to a different part of the world.
 
I even went to one of my favourite musicals which was School of Rock. I love it a lot. The movie is about a man name Dewey Finn who wants to earn money so he steps into his friend's place and becomes a classroom teacher. Have you seen School of Rock the movie or the musical?
 
I also have started recently going to Bunji Place in Melbourne where they have so many wonderful shows and music.
 
Some of the musicals I have been to at Bunji Place are Jersey Boys which was my favourite because it played great songs called Sherry and Walk like a man. Have you ever listened to Jersey Boys?
 
They even had a world of musicals where a band played different songs from many different movies like Greatest Showman and Abba.
 
I also went to a Billy Joel and Elton John Tribute Show where loads of huge hits were played like Crocodile Rock and Don’t go breaking my heart. They even did We Didn’t Start the Fire.
I even saw a Queen show where it felt like it was Live Aid Again. They Played We Will Rock You and Radio Gaga.
 
Have you ever listened to any of these popular songs? I have many times and remember the words and always sing them when I hear them on the radio. I feel very happy when I hear some of the big hits from musicals and movies 
 
Do you have a favourite musical you have seen or even just listened to the soundtrack?  Some of the songs I love in these musicals are: We go together , Do Re Mi , The Lonely Goatherd, Teacher’s  Pet, You’re in the Band, and Somewhere over the Rainbow. They are all amazing songs I don’t have a favourite song but I love them all. – Scarlett
 
 
 Fun fact, did you know? - The first original Beauty and the Beast came out in 1946 and did you know after the first Beauty and the Beast there were different versions?

• Beauty and the Beast (the animated one) came out in1991.
• Beauty and the Beast the animated version that came out was the Enchanted Christmas in 1997
• The animated Beauty and the Beast that was called Belle’s Magical world which came out in 1998
• The live action movie of Beauty and the Beast came out in 2017.

 
What I love about the live action Beauty and the Beast movie is there are so many different songs. It also teaches us that beauty lies within us and that we are all beautiful.

How does it makes me feel: I feel happy about beauty and the beast the live action movie.

When did I watch it? I rewatched it last night and it was so good but I haven't finished yet though .
What is your favourite Beauty and the beast movie? – Charlotte
 
 
One of my favourite movies is Shrek.
Shrek is a swamp monster. There are a few sequels that I haven’t watched yet, but why I love the movie is it is all about friendship, adventures, love, and family. This movie is for all ages.

The movie is very entertaining my favourite character is the donkey I find him charming, and he made me laugh so much. I remembered watching it with my nephew. Shrek was released 21st of June 2001 and Shrek 2nd, 17th of June 2004.

Interesting facts about Shrek.
 
Shrek is an American computer-animated fantasy comedy film loosely based on the book of the same name by William Steig.

Shrek is a towering, green ogre whose fearsome personality is definitely not a kind heart.
 
The beautiful story behind Shrek is about how to make friends and not judge someone on their appearance and is also learning to build relationships.
 
 What I have learned about the movie personally is how you never know what people around you are dealing with and sometimes we feel that we can do everything on our own but in reality, we all need some help from time to time and connecting with others is important for our wellbeing. - Jess
 
Disney movies have always been my happy place from childhood. I could always watch a Disney movie on a dark rainy day and it would bring magic, adventure and laughter to my world. It was such an exciting time if there was a new Disney movie coming out or I had just discovered an old one to watch. I have two of my favourite movies that I'll talk about today.
 
THE LION KING (1994)
My love of the lion king was passed to me by my aunty Cynthia, she also loves the Lion King and was the person who gave me The Lion King on video. (I still have the video she gave me too). I think sometimes there doesn’t need to be a reason why you love something and this is one of those times. I wholeheartedly just love The Lion King and all its movies and shows (except the Lion Guard, we don’t talk about the Lion Guard) I hope to one day see the musical theatre production as its on my bucket list.



LILO & STITCH (2002)
I saw Lilo & Stitch at the movies when it came out with my Aunty Suzanne, I was so very excited to go and see it because I got to spend time with my Aunty. Stitch is so adorable; I love him so very much and a bit of a bonus bit of information for you, my nickname for my sister is stitch because she does the best stitch voice! My favourite quote from this movie is “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” It’s become a very important quote in my life. Stitch is the reason I love Lilo & Stitch because he is adorable but deeper than that everyone can relate to feeling a little lost or like you’re an alien and you don’t belong. Shan
 
A Real Superhero to me doesn’t just mean watching movies. There’s too many to write them all down today but they include firemen and policemen, doctors and scientists. To me they are superheros in their own way. The superheros in movies are just fiction, they’re not real.
 
We have our own way to be a superhero. We can be superheros by being kind to others, faithful, truthful and full of respect. People in these jobs and in the government don’t know I look at them like a superhero.
 
Why don’t you do your best to be a superhero today. -Phillip.
 
 
 Have any of these movies, shows or musicals brought back memories for you? It’s inspired us to get comfy on the couch with some popcorn and our favourite drink this weekend and watch them all again.   

We’ve all had those feelings. The ones that make your tummy jump for joy, the ones that make sleep almost impossible, the ones that stop you from focusing on important things like school, work or feeding the dog. These feelings of excitement can take over thoughts because feeling excited about something coming up is THE BEST FEELING EVER!
 
In my opinion it's important to have something to look forward to in life to get excited about. Mine funny enough came about because of covid lockdowns in Melbourne. One of my many loves in life is sewing, because of covid lockdowns I had all the time in the world to learn new things and YouTube taught me not only how to hand sew scrunchies but how to make them with a sewing machine! This was also the time my scrunchie brand You Were Born to Sparkle was born.
Fast forward to 2022, My beautiful friend Britt and I had the opportunity to do a market together, she with her hand made cards and myself with my scrunchies. It was my first ever market so I was extremely anxious about it. It was a great success and we had so much support from our friends, family, Umbrella Support, complete strangers and of course the RAFT Anglican Church who held the market.
This September on Saturday 23rd we’ll be going back to do another market at the RAFT Anglican Church again. I'm excited and a little bit nervous but it will be great! I'm looking forward to seeing the other stalls and to showcase new scrunchie designs. It's also very exciting that I get to share this experience with Britt who will be selling her beautifully made handmade cards.
I hope that you have something to look forward too and get excited about. Just know that I'm excited for you and whatever it is that’s making you excited!
This is also me inviting you to come visit our market stall, all the information will be on the Umbrella socials closer to the date! - Shan.
 
 
Hi my name is Angelina! I’m back!
For today’s blog, I’m going to write about things I’m excited about.
Tomorrow my family and I are going to the airport around 3:30am (it’s crazy I know!) but most importantly it’s all about spending time with family because life is too short. The flight from Sydney to Vanuatu is 7 hours.

Here are some facts about Vanuatu:

1. Vanuatu is a country in Oceania.
2. Vanuatu is a Y-shaped island.
3. Foods in Vanuatu are: yam, taro, banana, coconuts, sugarcanes, tropical nuts, pork, greens, fowls and seafood.
4. The main food in Vanuatu is laplap. (laplap is a paste wrapped in banana leaves and baked in the underground oven).
5.  In Port Vila, Vanuatu you can use Australian dollars at some shops, restaurants and hotels otherwise you can use the vatu (Vanuatu currency).
6. I have researched on Vanuatu tap water and if it’s safe to drink, the internet says “yes” but I say no because I drink from bottled water. Would you drink the tap water?

 The weather in Vanuatu will be around 26 degrees. I am very excited for the vacation because it’s all about spending quality time with my family and making marvelous memories together. For the past week or so my family and I have been packing for this amazing and incredible trip. I am feeling nervous and excited but it will be so worth it because my family will be there with me for the whole ride.
 
I have been packing so many clothes for my family vacation and I love packing for family vacations because it brings me happiness and joy, although it’s hard it’s so worth it at the end. I am a little bit nervous for the 7-hour flight but when I hear hotel, pool and beautiful views I am insistently happy and excited. 
 
Does a family vacation bring back memories for you? _ Angelina. 
 
 
Welcome to our blog today, I will chat about my feelings and the fascinating things on the way or what has happened that made me very excited.
 
In 2022 I had the opportunity to co-host my first radio show with Cindy and Daz. It’s called "Disability Matters".  It was such a fantastic experience and I loved it so much. I learned a lot from doing it and I have been on “Disability Matters” ever since this experience. Have you ever been on radio before? It’s a really good way to start if you like media work and it helps your confidence a lot.
 
Also in 2022 I got my first paid job at Amstel Club I was so excited and nervous as it was my first interview. I got the job! I was shocked and a bit overwhelmed when Jo and Dan from Amstel Club said I had the position. Since then I have been working each Wednesday as part of the Umbrella Support Inclusive Employment Program. I have learnt so many skills through this program and have loved every moment of it.
 
In 2023 went to my first concert. It was Ed Sheeran. I loved it so much that I would love to go to another concert. I’ll keep you posted. He played some of his biggest hits like Shape of You and Castle on the Hill. Have you ever been to a Music Concert Before? Have you ever heard of Ed Sheeran or listened to his epic music before?
 
During March of this year I travelled to Cairns and Queensland with my family it was so great to go to Cairns with my family we had a great time and we are even going back next year. YAY! We went to markets, I rode a Ferris wheel which lights up at night and the trees also light up. It looks so cool.  Have you ever been to Cairns ?
 
In 2023 I celebrated my one year at the Salvos in the southeast of Melbourne. I have loved every moment and I have learned so much from each team member. They have taught me skills like problem-solving and they have even helped me step out of my confront zone many times and I’ve challenged myself too. They have also even given me the opportunity to be on the cash register because some people don’t get a chance to strive for their goals.
 
On the 4th April I also started producing my own podcast with assistance from RadioVoice called Your Story. It can be found on Spotify. It's a podcast where I chat with many different people who have a story to share and don’t get an opportunity to share them. I’ve interviewed many different guests like teachers , people who work in the sport industry, authors and people in the retail industry.

Recently I went to a Gold Coast Suns members function. I’m also a Gold Coast member just in case you were asking. Before the function the game was played. Gold Coast vs Carlton it was a good game. Carlton won. After the game I went to the function where there were so many Gold Coast players. I met some of my favourite players like Matt Rowell, Ben King and Ben Ainsworth.
 
Later this year I’m going to Queensland with my best friend. I can’t wait I’m already counting down the days. It's called a theme park holiday because we love theme parks and roller coasters and we are staying in a caravan park near Harbour Town.
 
This year I am celebrating my 21st birthday at Amstel Club. I can’t wait to celebrate this occasion with family, friends and coworkers. I am also counting down the days towards it and I’m really looking forward to it. I have already been looking at decorations.
 
In 2024 I’m going to Taylor Swift and I’m so excited to see one of my favourite singers perform. I think she will do songs like - Welcome to New York, Shake it off, Style and Bad blood. Have you heard of any of these songs? If not they can be found on Spotify.
 
I hope you enjoyed reading about some of the exciting things coming up or what I was excited about in the past. Scarlett.
 
 
I started bowling when I was 12 and have been bowling for 25 years. One day I was looking for a hobby. I don't know how I joined the bowling league but I'm pretty sure it was my mum who registered me in the team and that's how I started with TBA which stands for Tenpin Bowling Australia (TBA) It's the National Sporting Organisation as recognised by Sport Australia.
I love bowling because it's entertaining and challenging it was also a great way for me to make friends. There are many teams made up of five adults some of them are called the Cole Cup Challenge, Michael Cooke Memorial Shield, and the Masters.

The team that I go away with for the Nationals is called Ray Allan Rollers. Every Saturday morning is when I practice and the scores get recorded which allows our team to compete with others. I have so many medals in my collection I worked very hard for them and am very proud of myself. I have recently bowled my highest score which was 200 points at the latest national in Adelaide. - Jess

Well, knowing we all get excited is exciting in itself. Don't you think?
Join us again next week as we introduce a new addition to our blogging group and we get excited to "JUST WRITE"!
​

When our team discussed ideas for this blog we were unsure if we had enough to write about. I mean, who still collects things? I remember the days people collected swap cards or tea spoons which were neatly displayed on wooden racks and hung on the wall but does anyone these days have collections?
 
Today our topic is collections I have started collecting postcards from different places I have been before and some places I haven’t been to. 
We’re do I start? Adelaide Zoo. It’s open and spacious and has many different types of animals. It’s the second oldest zoo in Australia (Our zoo in Melbourne is the oldest which opened in 1862). It has different things to see there. I have a post card from Arthurs Seat Eagle at Mornington Peninsula. I didn’t like the old chair lift because it wasn’t enclosed. I love the new one it’s more fancy and it’s enclosed. The view is stunning. 
I also have post cards from the Sea Shell Museum and Sea Road Ferries. I chose these cards because I like the pictures on the cards, and it’s worth going to both places. I also have many more postcards in my collection because they are cheap to purchase 
Do you have a collection? - Jess


​I collect footy cards. The reason I love collecting footy cards is because I love footy, especially watching. I particularly love collecting Sydney Swan's cards as they are the team I go for. I have collected footy cards for many years.
I also collect seashells. I collect them every time I go to the beach. I love looking for shells. I only take the ones that are not broken. I go to loads of different beaches.
I also loved to collect McDonald’s toys when I was a little girl. I have some Shrek characters and I have multiple characters from Despicable Me and many more. I keep them in a special box. I also love collecting Lego sets. Especially Lego friends sets. I don't have a favourite set.  Do you Like Lego?
I love collecting Birthday and Christmas Cards and many other types of cards. They bring back heaps of memories when I look back at them.
I also love collecting fidgets to keep me busy. They are so cool and fun.
I love collecting art and craft supplies, especially colouring books. I have lots of books which are different sizes and have different pictures. I also love collecting pencils and texas, I always love to have a backup in case they run out.
I love collecting anything related to polar bears because they are my favourite animal you can even see them at Sea World on the Gold Coast.
My brother likes to collect Squish Mallows because they are so soft and squishy they are so cuddly I love having a hug with them. I love also collecting board games. I love playing board games with friends or family members I love any type of board game especially Family Feud and Jumanji the board game. What is your favourite board game?
I love collecting photographs and memories that I have with friends and family and I put these memories in a box or a memorial album.
I also love to collect chapter books like Go Girl Books and The Baby-Sitters Club Books and Dork Diaries because they share many different stories and I like to pretend I'm in their shoes.
I love to also collect paper of any type I recycle most paper to use on my circuit machine. Most people think it’s a machine where balls come out but it's a craft machine that makes stickers, labels, and fancy cards they come out so cool.
I love collecting Girl Guide Badges as I used to be a Girl Guide leader so it makes me remember the time I used to be with them.
Thank you for taking the time to read about what I love to collect. Hope you learned something about what people can collect. - Scarlett


​I have been a gamer for over 7 years. I can say that I have a good collection of games that I'm very proud of they're like my babies. (Goo Goo Gah Gah)!
I love gaming because it feels good to play with my friends and other gamers online it's also funny and cool it keeps me busy when I'm home alone. Some of the games in my collection are Grand Theft Auto V, Fortnite, Call of Duty, Tom Clancy Rainbow Six and State or Decay. Fortnite is my favourite game because they have more updates that keep all of their players happy and wanting to play more. Fortnite is a hard game. It makes you think and you can work as a team with your friends to win the games. - TJ

What is a collection?
According to Merriam-webster.com a collection is an accumulation of objects gathered for study, comparison, or as a hobby.
In my case in this piece, I'm focusing on a collection or collecting things as a hobby. I have so many things I have collected or am still collecting and it was a hard choice but I've chosen Lego to talk about today.
Lego is either an occasional hobby or an all-out obsession, it can be a great way to relax and pass the time and you have a huge range to choose from. It's for all ages and skill sets.  So, no matter if you’re a beginner or an expert there is a set for you!
Besides the Lego brand you can also get petit blocks, mini blocks and nano blocks and many more different brands. I'm not picky for my collection, I have all these brands and really enjoy sorting the blocks out into the different sizes, building them and putting them on display.
Even going out and choosing a set to build is great fun. There are so many wonderful sets available from animals to characters from games and tv shows. Let me share with you what I have in my collection so far:
I have a whale, two unicorns, a calico cat, an American short hair cat, a Shiba Inu, a toy poodle, a Hercules beetle, a dragon, two sunflowers, an eagle, parrakeets, a flamingo, two penguins, an owl, a dolphin, a lion, a salt water crocodile, a manta ray, a great white shark, an orca, a football fish, an oarfish, meerkats, a peacock, four Lego mini monsters, a hamster, a rabbit, a red panda, a Pokémon Magicarp, a Pokémon Snorlax, a Pokémon Chikorita and a Panda.
My collection will probably grow more and more over time and I will have more Lego friends to build. It's always going to be something I enjoy and hopefully I can go and visit LEGOLAND sometime in the future, that would be amazing, I think. And for anyone who may have been wondering, I fit into the obsession category of Lego collectors.
 If you're looking to start a new hobby or to start building and collecting Lego, I highly recommend Lego for everyone! - Shan

​Well it appears that my thoughts around collections were completely wrong! I’m glad that our team have so much to offer in this space and I’ve learnt something more about everyone through their blogging on this topic. I’m currently collecting memories and my new favourite is this blog…
 
Until next week when we "JUST WRITE", have a great week! - Cindy

 
When is your birthday? Do you love to celebrate? What’s your favourite memory from when you’ve celebrated in years before? Does a birthday party make you feel excited, maybe worried that you may be getting older or does it fill your heart with happiness?
This week our bloggers got busy documenting their thoughts on birthday’s and here’s what they wrote…
 
Welcome to my birthday blog. In this blog I talk about my experiences in my own words, like how I like to have my own parties and my own cakes which always look so yummy and delicious and might make you want to have a snack because you will start feeling hungry!
This year I’m turning 21 and I’m having my party at Amstel Club I can’t wait to celebrate the night with family, coworkers and friends. There are many different types of music that can be played at parties whether it’s a kids party or a adults party.
Some of the songs you can play at parties are the Chicken Dance, Nutbush, Macarena and YMCA.
It’s important to talk to an adult you trust about who you would like to invite to your special event. There are so many different decorations you can use or have at your event like balloons, party poppers and streamers. There are so many different flavours of cakes you can have. Some are: ice cream cake, chocolate mud cake or vanilla cake. I personally like the ice cream because I love ice cream especially if its cookies and cream. Which cake is your favourite flavour?  
You can make or buy your Invitations from the shops. I prefer homemade ones as it's the thought what counts not the cost. People turn different ages all around the world. You get a star sign each month for different birthdays. My star sign is Sagittarius because my birthday is in December.
You can have different themes for your party like a disco, unicorn, jungle, candy or rainbow theme. They are all amazing themes I like a disco theme with disco lights because I love dancing with disco lights on in my own time. 
What sort of theme would you have at your party or event?
You can have your parties at so many different venues like a restaurant, play center or a cafe. I’ve had some of my birthday’s at Maccas and Hungry Jacks when I was little. 
This year I’m having my party at Amstel Club in the courtyard where there will amazing food and some drinks too. 
It's also important to plan ahead for your events so you don't worry or get stressed on the day before and it's also a great skill for your resume called organisational skills. – Scarlett
 
 
 
Rewind back to the parties of the past, when parents planned the parties, the invitations were handed out before class at school, the excited chatter about who's coming, what everyone is going to wear, themes (wiggles, HI-5, Telly Tubbies & disco), if there was going to be a jumping castle or face painter, Lolly bags, balloons and your parents/guardians covered the cost. Don’t forget about the music! Dancing around to Aqua, S Club 7, Spice Girls and doing the Macarena.  Party games were things like twister, hide n seek, guess who, Simon says, charades, musical chairs and pass the parcel.
I remember having parties as a kid at a play center, in a park, time zone, at my house and it was always great fun! It was so much better when you got to have a friend stay the night and you could talk about the fun that was had and the day's events. The effort that was put in by my parents to make the parties special for my sister and I was always something to be grateful for.
 I always got to have my very best friend at my parties or if I didn’t have a party that year, we had a sleep over. There were always the best treats and party food my, favourite I think at the time was fairy bread, I wasn’t super picky about party food I just wanted to eat as much of it as I was allowed (I was the garbage guts), watching Disney movies was also a favourite for me too and most importantly it was always a fun experience for everyone.
My younger sister also had some very exciting parties planned for her as well, I loved being able to relive the magic of having a birthday party with her. Getting to do the kids party stuff during my teen years was great fun so I suppose I should thank my sister for letting me be a part of them!
As the years go by kid’s parties change and might not be the same as they were in the 90’s and 2000’s when I or my sister was a kid but one thing remains the same, kids' parties are and always will be magical.
And a shout out to all the parents/guardians who put the hard work and funds in so we could have the parties! – Shan
 
Birthdays to me are when I am having a party with my friends, listening to music and having a yummy chocolate cake. Getting older does not bother me because I feel the same, my star sign is Pisces which is known for being a friendly person. My birthday is also special to me because I share it with my twin brother. Can you imagine having a friend since you started to form in your mum's belly. This is very cool. Going to places like your favourite restaurant and sharing a nice meal with your family and friends is always very good. Some of my favourite gifts are an Xbox and gold class tickets from my favourite friends and this made me very happy. – TJ
 
 
My birthday was on Monday last week and I turned 19 years old.
I went out to Amstel with my family to have dinner. After that my family and I went home to have a black forest cake for my birthday and afterwards my family and I played deal or no deal with 8 boxes. In each box there were different presents.
How did I feel opening all of my presents? I felt happy and excited about every present in the boxes but my favourite thing that happened was spending time with everyone at Umbrella Support on that Monday which was my birthday.
There are so many different types of birthday cakes for so many different birthdays. Some people also make cakes for birthdays or even buy store bought birthday cakes
What is your favourite birthday cake or present? - Charlotte 
 
We hope this blog has you excited about your next birthday or party you are going to. We’ll be back next week to…JUST WRITE! 

You’re back! That’s great news. We hope you enjoyed our first blog because we certainly enjoyed writing it. After our personal introductions last week our team returned ready and eager to get busy with our second blog. We welcomed Angelina and TJ to the team and caught them up on our understanding of what a blog is and how we are learning to write one.
As a group we then discussed options and came up with the unanimous decision that this topic would be WINTER! I mean It makes sense. It’s June and the morning we wrote this, it was raining. A lot!
So, get comfy with your hot chocolate and favourite blanket as we… JUST WRITE!
 
The Challenge of Winter and How It Affects Your Mood.
 
Each season brings its own changes and challenges, though the beginning of winter either brings excitement or absolute dread to our minds.
Regardless of if your idea of a good time is dancing in the rain and jumping in puddles or you're counting down the days until summer, winter is affecting your mood.
 
So how does it affect your mood?
For the anti-winter the changes in time, colder weather, never-ending rain and less daylight can cause less of a chemical in your brain called serotonin. (The happiness and optimism chemical) this means that unless winter is your happy place, you're probably going to be feeling a little bit or a lot down in the dumps.
Waking up and opening the blinds, curtains or windows and seeing grey skies, rain, storms, wind and all the gloomy weather probably isn't going to motivate you to be excited about your day.
 
There should be a focus of self-care, mental health and wellbeing through winter make it your challenge to bring yourself some happiness, make your bed before you leave the house, have a hot shower with your favourite soap or body wash, cuddle with your pet, have a pyjama day, face time with family or friends, write in a journal, learn something new, treat yourself to your favourite lunch at work, wear your favourite scarf, curl up with a good book or have a lounge room dance party!
 
Remember that there are people who wake up see the winter weather and dance with happiness, I suggest you find one of those people and take a leaf out of their winter loving book because they’re going to need you when summer comes around! – Shan.
 
 
I love watching the Big Freeze on TV every winter. It's something I look forward to each year. I also buy a beanie to help find a cure for MND. The Big Freeze is an event which occurs as part of the King’s Birthday/Queen's Birthday clash between Melbourne and Collingwood. This was started by Neale Danaher, an AFL Legend in 2014. He suffers from Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Everybody comes together to support this cause in finding a treatment and a cure for MND.  Originally the Big Freeze started in America where they only used to have a bucket of ice on their head but now in Melbourne at the MCG they have a slide for celebrities to slide down into the ice pool. People can also buy a beanie or a scarf to help raise money for the cause and all the money goes to MND to help find a cure – Scarlett.
 
 
What is a Rainbow?  A rainbow is an optical illusion. A miracle that can occur when there is sun and rain in the sky together. There are seven colours in a rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet  I love rainbows because rainbows can make people happy and I feel happy and excited when I see one. How do you feel when you see a rainbow? Is there a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?  Is that true or not true? It is a sign of hope but it's not real. It's a sign of dreams that could come true. Have you ever driven around to find the end of the rainbow? I've never done it but would like to. Alyshia.
 
 
What is comfort food?  To me it is food that provides us a sense of warmth and foods I like. Some of these are soups, Hungarian food, stew and tuna bake. I love these foods because it gives a feeling family heritage and a sense of warmth and I like to eat comfort food because when I get sick it helps me get better. In winter people drink more hot drinks like coffee, tea and hot chocolate. In the every 1 cafe at Amstel Club we are serving soup during winter. What is your favourite comfort food or drink? – Charlotte.
 
 
The weather in Melbourne can be crazy. For example, lightning, rain, floods, hail, thunderstorms, damaging winds, fog, frost, sunshine, and humidity. The damages of Melbourne’s crazy weather can be droughts, flooding, destruction, landslides, loss of animals, health risks, loss of power, wildfires and damaging of crops. As I am typing I can see a beautiful no cloud moment. The sun is shining through the windows as I type to our readers, I feel the glow on my face because of the warmth of the sunshine. What I have come upon during these times of winter is that the sun always shines. I believe in God so I call this “Gods power” – Angelina.

 
Winter can be hard for a lot of people. Keeping our bodies warm is so important and wearing warm clothes is a must to prevent hypothermia. Hypothermia is when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat. It can affect your heart and body. It’s important to keep our core body temperature of 37c to stay healthy. Winter clothes are made from thicker material, water resistant and thermal underwear. Layering pieces of clothes like vests, long sleeve tops, coats, beanies, thick socks and scarves rather than one thick piece is better for keeping your body warm. It’s also important to wear a good pair of boots so you don’t fall over – Tyson
 
 
We hope you have enjoyed learning about winter with us. We have so many topics to discover and we are  glad you are here with us for this blogging journey.

​Until next week, stay warm! 

​Hello and welcome to the very first Umbrella Support Blog – Just Write!
​
I’m Cindy and together with our super support worker Jessy and Program Volunteer Delia we are bursting with excitement because we have a team of very eager bloggers ready with LOADS of topics they are itching to share with the world. Our very first session was an explosion of so many ideas. We could have done with a whiteboard the size of a drive-in theatre screen!

Please allow us to use this very first blog as our personal introductions, written with much enthusiasm personally by our team...
 
Hello Friends!
I'm Shan! I love making friends with all creatures, I'm unicorn obsessed, I'm forever chasing rainbows, I count Tesla's and I sew scrunchies for everyone. I'm also a big believer in kindness and inclusion. I'm so excited to get started on our blogging project! Just here to learn and get creative.
 
My name is Jess I’m here to learn how to blog. I am a massive fan of craft, bowling and also love cooking up yummy dishes. I have joined “Just Write” so I can learn new skills, try new things and learn about different subjects I am passionate about. I am engaged to an amazing guy. His name is Robert. I also have a big family. I love spending time with them.
I have four nephews and one niece. I am caring, honest, friendly, and a generous person and I have been volunteering at Vinnies for 5 years.
 
Hi name is Charlotte and I’m almost 19 years old. I joined Umbrella Support a little while ago. I love everyone at Umbrella Support because everyone is so supportive and caring. I love cooking and painting for fun. I love my cultural background, especially Hungarian food and I've got a paid job through Umbrella Support at Amstel Club. I've been working at Amstel for a couple months now and today as I write this  (June first) I'm starting at the every 1 community cafe.
 
Hi, I'm Scarlett. I love to work in many different areas for example Salvos, cafe work and Amstel Club. I'm also a radio co-host on the Buzzz once a month. Our radio show is called Disability Matters. It airs every Thursday night at 6.00pm (www.thebuzzz.com.au) I love listening to podcasts, and the reason I joined blogging is because I love writing and reading stories. I love footy and go for the Sydney Swans. I love chocolate. Any kind! I love cooking in my Thermomix and love having cuddles with my great Dane Lucy.
 
Hey, my name is Alyshia I’m 19 years old turning 20. I love animals, family, butterflies, sparkling water, cooking and art. I am excited about blogging because we can write about anything we want. It makes me smile.
 
So, as you can see, we have a team who have so much to offer. This team will grow and as it does, we will add their names to our blogs so you will get to know this creative and informative team.

Each week we will meet and choose a topic of interest we all agree on. Then we will get to work, researching, learning and sharing with you, our readers our collated information right here on this platform!
 
Watch this space, exciting things ahead. 

The internet is a great place.
 
Okay, so that’s a matter of opinion I suppose. It can be used for both good and bad, but when used for good, it can open up the entire world. 
 
I recently went to Google and typed in: “What is a blog”. This is what I got…
 
blog
noun

1. a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.

 
Hmmmm, that helps. Thanks Google! So a blog is writing. It can be really long pieces of writing or it can be quite short.  But about what exactly? 
 
When I researched further I discovered that a blog can be about anything you like. ANYTHING! Then I got excited. You see, at Umbrella we have a group of intelligent and excited individuals who have so much to share. About SO MANY THINGS! 
 
Personally I love writing. I’ve co authored two books and would love to write more but these days time for writing is not on my side. To educate our team on the benefits of writing and to share my love in this space is really going to fill my cup. But enough about me! 
 
Today, June 1st 2023, our group of writers start the journey of learning the power of written expression. We will brainstorm about every single idea we have and will get busy making a plan. 
 
As a team we will research, format, understand everything we document, check our spelling and grammar and most importantly, we will have fun whilst learning. 
 
Watch this space… Our team is about to get busy. Did I mention we start TODAY?!
 
Wait… Did I just write a blog? 😜
 
Cindy.