OTHER EVENTS
Tandem supports National Mental Health Week 2011 with a free Zumba Fitness class
Tandem joined forces with Kokoloco Dance Studio to present a free Zumba Fitness class on Saturday October 15th, 2011, in support of National Mental Health Week.
Clients, staff, and friends of Tandem were invited to learn to dance, get fit, and improve their wellbeing and mental health with a fun, inclusive physical activity, lead by qualified Zumba instructors, Kate and Mario from Kokoloco. Tandem’s Mental Health Program is committed to providing alternative therapy options for our clients, promoting well-being and reducing social isolation – which made the fun, inclusive Zumba format a perfect activity for all ages and abilities to celebrate Mental Health Week.
Sponsored by a grant from ACT Mental Health, Tandem’s National Mental Health Week initiative was a great success, and was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Tandem & Kokoloco Zumba Fitness Class
Lions Youth Haven Solar Joint Venture officially launched by Simon Corbell MLA
The Solar Joint Venture partners are joined by Mr. Simon Corbell MLA (l-r: Cheryl Pollard, Lawrence McIntosh, Simon Corbell MLA, Lynne Harwood, Frank Brown)
The Lions Youth Haven Solar Joint venture was officially launched on Thursday, April 21st by Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water and Minister for Energy, Mr Simon Corbell, MLA.
Representatives from Canberra’s community services sector gathered to celebrate the launch of the 216 panel solar installation at Westwood Farm in Kambah, a joint project of Lions Youth Haven, Tandem Respite Inc., Galilee and TJ Solar Pty. Ltd. The clean energy emitted will save the equivalent of 20 tonnes of CO2 annually.
As one of the largest community operated joint solar ventures in the ACT the project was brought into being with the assistance of the ACT Government under the Community Energy Grants Program, and constitutes an exciting step forward for the Kambah community and the broader ACT community in promoting the use and creation of green energy alternatives.
Lions Youth Haven Chairman Frank Brown says the assistance of the ACT government will help defray the costs incurred every year.
“We are actively pursuing a variety of green solutions to reduce human impacts on our environment. Apart from the environmental benefit, the feed-in tariff scheme [will allow] more funds to be directed toward the programs that assist our young people,” he said.
The venture is also an opportunity to incorporate a renewable energy and sustainable environmental message into the community services sector of the Territory.
Tandem CEO Cheryl Pollard agrees: “Places like Westwood farm and projects like this Solar Joint Venture are the mainstay of ensuring our capacity to provide vital services to the ACT.”
But it is the sincere cooperation displayed by the members of this partnership, in realising the importance of reducing our environmental impact and working together to make this venture a reality, which is truly worth celebrating,” she commented in her remarks today.
Former Galilee CEO and current Communities At Work CEO Lynne Harwood, reflected on the coming together of the four organisations. “It has brought about economies of scale. This is a perfect example of how the sums of the parts, are greater than the individual parts themselves,” she said.
The importance of the involvement of the community sector in green energy initiatives was a major factor for Lawrence Macintosh, Principal of TJ Solen P/L, who oversaw the installation.
“This is a great example of what we can do when we work together to help get involved in confronting climate change. Communities can, for the first time, own their own power generation.
