GET ACTIVE GOES OFF!!!

The third annual Get Active Macarthur day presented by Macarthur Disability Services was an enormous success. The YMCA Minto Indoor Sports Centre buzzed with African drums, Arabic music, disco and hundreds of happy voices. The sound was the background to an exciting innovative community expo of sports and activities for people with a disability that were totally adaptable and inclusive. It was a day where school children from mainstream local schools, schools that specialise in disability and a range of service providers and disability organisations could come together to experience social and sporting activities created for every ability.

La Voz Drumming held African drumming workshops with Hazels usual enthusiasm leading the group, Ali’s Angels belly danced the day away and Wendy from Circus Wow showed circus tricks to the delight of the crowd. MDS organised a real bowling lane from Interbowl Campbelltown, and the Australian Army Cadet Corp Band brought instruments for the kids to try. The Australian National Drag Racing Association revved up the event with some big engines whilst Campbelltown Performing Arts High School used peddle power with mono cycle ,unicycle and tricycle performers. They had jugglers, and some of the best local vocalists to entertain on the day too! Macquarie Fields Tafe students participated as part of their disability awareness training and their Sport & Fitness programs. The Department of Sport & Recreation brought along table games for people with high support needs and NSW Wheelchair Sports trucked out the road show. Telstra Rugby League pass the ball competitions, Boccia and Burn Rubber Burn from the Campbelltown PCYC made sure it was truly a full on day of experiences and activity. And when every one needed a well earned massage Replenish Skin + Body massaged those worked out muscles…It was a Jamm packed day.
    
MDS Marketing & Events Coordinator Steve Wisbey was ecstatic “over 1500 kids enjoyed the event; it was such a culturally diverse day celebrating disability, participation and community integration. It went beyond our expectations, and that was all due to the support of our fantastic partners Les & Sue at Southwest Automotives, TELSTRA, the Campbelltown Catholic Club, Aquafit, the mighty delicious sausages from the Ken Shafer Smash Repairs BBQ and the Ingleburn Rotarians. These guys made sure we could provide lunch and t-shirts, show bags and prizes and ensure it was a totally free day for everyone! The local STREETS Unilever factory provided a special treat for everyone to top off the day, so I’ve got gushing praise for our local supporters that were so generous and made this all possible.”

The day was outstanding from the point of view of attendance, activities and organisation, wall to wall smiling faces! MDS General Manager Anne Thorn was very positive “I’ve always believed in encouraging healthy lifestyles, sport and fitness for people with a disability, and Get Active showcases different opportunities, organisations and activities that cater for all abilities. The MDS staff have done a great job as a team and I’m so excited by the continued support from our sponsors.”

One of the best quotes from the day came from Joyce, a mum that helped organise her son’s school to bring over 100 kids “I had a great time just watching the kids enjoy themselves so much. I could see both the children with disability and the one's without get right into it and were enjoying themselves so much.” MDS says the day is about breaking down barriers, raising awareness and having fun together, it looks like they are definitely on the right track!

Check out the pics.

Hi Everyone,

GET ACTIVE MACARTHUR 2008 is almost here!

It is very exciting as everything falls into place. For all of our Staff, Volunteers, Presenters, Other Service Providers and School contacts I have attached the PDF to give you direction for the day. These will also be handed out as the event program and activity sheet to be stamped to redeem prizes for experiencing different activities.   

3 activities a Telstra show bag, 6 activities a Badge and Sweat Band, 9 activities the worlds coolest T-shirt :-)

MDS SITE STAFF and OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS/SCHOOLS WITH DISABILITY VEHICLES: To make things flow we will have parking marshals at the front of the YMCA Disability Drop Off Zone. Wheelchair set down and drop off staff and clients, then drivers to move forward to the disability bus/van parking zone along the side of the YMCA as marked on the map.

GENERAL PARKING: As marked on the map Volunteers & School buses. To ensure there is ample parking it is preferred that ALL parking that does not require Wheelchair access utilise the top car park. A short walk through undulating fields and across netball courts will take you to the entrance of the YMCA. There is room for Coaches, larger buses, etc also.

ACTIVITY PRESENTERS: For those presenting, load in can start from as early as 7am as we will be setting up from then, but must be completed before 9:30am for Evac/Induction before we start at 10am for General Public. Your areas are marked on the Map. Once gear, props unloaded please move vehicles to the GENERAL PARKING as previously mentioned. I can be contacted at any time for any reason 0403 458 572 from 5.30am.

VOLUNTEERS: MDS Staff, Campbelltown City Council, Ingleburn Rotarians, etc Please use GENERAL PARKING as previously mentioned. MDS staff will start arriving from 8.30am (MDS staff not responsible for clients will receive an additional attachment allocation from HR Amanda Mesa.) Campbelltown City Council, through Angela Lonergan, are welcomed as part of disability awareness training and community involvement. It will be a pleasure to have them on different activities to experience the day. No one does lunch (Ray Slacks Mighty Delicious Sausages) like Ingleburn Rotarians, so we also thank them for the BBQ and effort they always put into community events. Event Volunteer Sheets can be filled in at the MDS registration stand if you haven’t already done so.

LUNCH: To avoid chaos this year we have two BBQ’s and Lunch Zones on the map that will start cooking just after 10 and just continuously feed the famished as it has always been huge lines and always at once, so we felt this may make things easier. We have hotdogs, sausage sizzle, and bottled water .For the afternoon STREETS has donated ice creams. Lunch is kindly provided by Ken Schafer Smash Repairs on their bbq, the PCYC yellow terror and the Ingleburn Rotary red devil.   

I think that’s everything, but please call me if there is anything else,

We look forward to seeing you Thursday.

STEVE WISBEY :-)