Alpine Radio celebrated Barbara Allen's service to community radio with a morning tea held in her honour. Colleagues and committee members joined Barb at the Mount Beauty Neighbourhood Centre and reflected on the many years she has been presenting her Sunday program, Peace In The Valley. Barb says it's been somewhere between 12 and 15 years, because when she joined Alpine Radio Mary Smith was still on the management team. She decided to hang up her earphones and so on Sunday 27 December we heard Barb's last program. President Nick Brown presented Barb with a framed certificate to mark her outstanding achievement.
Barb has kept busy during the last year even when the pandemic meant that regional Victoria was in lockdown. She maintained connection with her Church community by ditching the landline and getting wired with the latest technology, using Zoom to attend cathedral meetings, services and choral evensong. With restrictions easing, Barb is itching to get back to playing the organ at Church and will be playing timpani in the Mount Beauty Community Band on Australia Day.

Alpine Radio will be broadcasting live from Tavare Park at the Harrietville Bush Market on Sunday 10th January 2021. 

The Harrietville Bush Market hosts lots of interesting stalls and local producers serve up great food and coffee. Tavare Park is in the heart of Harrietville, alongside the Ovens River. It is located near the Pioneer Park Museum and toilets.

Look out for Alpine Radio's stall, come and say hello to our presenters and request a song. We'll be there from 9.00am to 1.00pm. It's a great location and it will be a terrific day! 

Alpine Radio will host present a Tribute Program to remember Ian Erbacher (Mr P) who passed away on Saturday 3rd October. The program will air from the Alpine Radio studio.
 
The program will be presented by his colleagues from Alpine Radio, from 12 noon to 3pm on Friday 30th October when his normal “High Country” program would be on. We will play songs that Ian liked to play on High Country, The Year That Was and Valley Sports, and we will ask friends and colleagues to say a few words about Ian’s life. 
 
Ian was born in Mount Beauty, lived here all of his 63 years, and was a life member of the Bogong Clay Target Club (a member there for 44 years), a keen bowler with Dederang Bowls Club, and a life member and founding member of Alpine Radio.
 
Alpine Radio listeners are welcome to call the station on 5754 4554 to say a few words or request a favourite song of Ian’s.

Alpine Radio's Annual General Meeting was held on Monday 26th October 2020 at 11:00am in the Alex McCulloch Hall, Mount Beauty Neighbourhood Centre. 24 people attended in person in two venue spaces  (with seating and capacity arranged in line with DHHS Regional Victoria Third Step restrictions effective 11.59pm 18th September 2020) and via Zoom conferencing.

Thank you to all who attended and to those who sent proxy forms (or apologies) because they could not attend.
President Nick Brown presented the President's Report and Treasurer Keith Pike presented the Financial Report. Dick Puttyfoot took the chair to conduct the executive and committee election process.

The 2020/202 Committee of Management (all elected unopposed) consists of:
President: Nick Brown
Vice-President: Dick Puttyfoot
Secretary: Linda Parkinson
Treasurer: Keith Pike
Committee (4): Helen McDougall (Volunteer Coordinator), and new members Christine Riches, Craig Vine,  and Vivienne Rochford.
Welcome to our new committee members and thank you to Hugh Paton, Scottie Graham and Ken Halse, committee members stepping down.

A big thank you to Mount Beauty Neighbourhood Centre, staff and volunteers for their hospitality and helping us make our meeting a success and COVID safe.
​
Reports
President's Report

​Congratulations to our winners of the ROCKTOBER poster competition!
 
Judge Janet Grealy made her decision and winners were announced on Fay Mason’s "Brunch" program on Wednesday 21 October.
 
Prizes are:  Up to 12 years 1st prize (Poppy Scherf) - $50 voucher from Tawonga South Newsagency and Post Office.  Runner up prize (Kirsten McLennan) - $25 voucher from Swiss and Chips.

Over 18 years 1st prize (Jos Ceccanti)  – Takeaway meals for two from Roi’s Restaurant. Runner up prize (Fiona McLennan) - $25 voucher from Swiss and Chips.

Thank you for your participation in this fun event and to our wonderful sponsors for donating these great prizes.

Studio guests Helen McDougall and Eric Napier talked today about a new project initiative being led by the Mount Beauty Neighbourhood Centre with funding from a small bushfire relief grant targeted at improving community mental health.
The project will initially focus on bushfire preparedness and the need for community-led fire plans, for the community and for households. The project is based on research that shows that unless a community or individual owns their fire action plan, it tends to be ignored and that activating a personal action plan will contribute to a greater sense of control in times of crisis.
The aims of the project will be discussed and presented by specialists on Alpine Radio over four weeks, with more episodes likely to be scheduled. The program will air from 11am to midday on Tuesdays and will be a forum for Kiewa Valley resident to learn, raise questions and contribute to the conversation.

​More information
Websites that provide information about preparing for emergencies:
Vic Emergency Relief and Recovery Centres
CFA Fire Ready Kit
Red Cross Help in Emergencies

Drop in or call the Mount Beauty Neighbourhood Centre on 5754 1166 to find out more about this community project.