Renew the Spirit Foundation LIVE!

Charity Music Trivia and Karaoke Spectacular!

2011-02-21T14:56:00.000-08:00

At the New China Restaurant, March 9th, 6:30 pm! 1 View Point, Bendigo.

Come and have heaps of fun, win great prizes while supporting RTSF. Just $20 includes the meal and a donation to RTSF. Anyone who registers as a TeamTrivia Promoter to 0439 306 997 and brings along a team of at least 7, wins a FREEBIE pack of wine, a T-shirt, drink cards to HuHa bar and more!

So come along, brings your friends/family and support a great local Children's foundation!

BOOKINGS: 5442 2377 Book NOW to not be disappointing. Limited table space available!

Pics from 'Chill Out for Charity'!

2011-01-19T19:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some Pics from 'Chill Out for Charity'!

Chill Out for Charity!!

2010-11-08T18:12:00.000-08:00

'Chill out for Charity' is our next fundraiser!

At the fab venue 'The Order of Melbourne', the event features:

** 10 performers over 6 hours!
** Roof Top Bar
** Body Painting Demo
** Roof Top BBQ
** Fair Trade Stalls
** Prizes and give-aways

Performers include Penelope Swales, Colo de Menina (Braizilian Forro rhythms!), Jen Biddle, Daniel Shaw and MORE!!

ONLY $5:00! Available at www.greentix.com (if you pre-purchase via Greentix, you will go in the draw to win prizes valued at $100.00!)
Also available at the door or at bookings@renewthespirit.org.au

The event is also a welcome back for Lisa and Lachlan, our volunteers who recently spent time with our Project Partner Paz Caribe in Colombia.

WHEN: Sunday 5 December, 2010 4-10pm.
WHERE: the Order of Melbourne: 275 Swanston St, Melbourne.

CU ALL THERE!

FUND-RAISING event: New York I Love You @ The Star Cinema

2010-06-15T04:25:00.001-07:00

Please spread and word and come if you are able to our next fund-raising event.

WHAT: Screening of "New York I love You"
WHEN: Thursday, June 17.
WHERE: The Star Cinema, Eaglehawk
TIME: 7:00pm (pre film entertainment) and film start at 7:30

$18/15 (includes supper, guest appearance by Frank Sinatra, Supper and a Short History of New York presented by historian and RTSF Founder, Dr Phil West.

SEE YOU THERE!

Hola from Colombia!

2010-05-12T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hello from Lisa and Lachie in Colombia,

It is our 2nd week of activites this week and I am sweating while I write as it is HOT HOT HOT here, my Spanish has expanded to be able to say "muy callor!"

We were lucky with fresh beautiful weather in our first weeks but now it is hot and very humid, 80% or more. But it does indeed help to get in to the swing of Colombian life, layed back, no rushing and in the evenings it is mandatory to sit back in a cane rocking chair and watch the world go by.

Paulina and Isaiah's (son of Jose and Maria )

Our host's Jose Juan and Maria Fernandez
daughter Gabriella and Maggi, Jose's Mum

We have been up to a few different things, working with English schools doing lessons, primary schools doing english games with the children, also in a rehabilitation centre for children with disabilities and most importantly our Renew the Spirit art projects in the villages.

Our project in the 3 villages are based on the theme ‘Looking to the future” and we are trying to prompt the kids to look at themselves, what do I like about me, my strengths, dreams etc, secondly family and the home and also their communities. We are doing drawing, photography, games and my own personal favourite activity, working with clay!
We have been able to be shown around the villages in the activites and people are very intrigued by the two Gringo's. The villages are in the mountains on dirt roads and we have had to ride on the back of motorbikes which I have come to look forward to as whizzing by donkeys, cows and jungle is a pretty different experience on a bike than in a car.

We are hosting an '' Australia'' night on Saturday and it seems quite a professional gig, with a room booked in a hotel and a chef to make Australian food, which leads to the dilemma, what IS Australian food? They also want to know what our typical music is. So I think we will turn up the stereo and play some ACDC ''Thunderstruck'' for the middle class Colombians of Sincelejo!

So things are going well and hopefully this experience will lead to opportunities for others who are interested in volunteering in Colombia to come over in the future.

The money we raised in Bendigo has been so important and has payed for all the materials for the children and all the transport in and around the villages. So to anyone who at all helped out with these events thank you so much! You can feel safe in the knowledge that it is being well spent.

Lisa xx

Photos from Colombia!!

2010-05-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

Photos sent over from Lachlan and Lisa - our two volunteers in Colombia.

Update of Events and our Volunteers in Colombia

2010-05-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

Our recent fundraising events were very successful - thanks to everyone's hard work.

Lisa and Lachlan arrived in Colombia about a week ago and are doing fine. They will send some pics soon.

They are doing voluntary work with Paz Caribe (Caribbean Peace) in a town called Sincelejo in Sucre province. They are also working with some communities in the Montes de Maria mountain area which was ravged by years of conflict. They are working with children and famililes who have been displaced by the armed conflict. More reports soon!!

Forthcoming events!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-27T20:48:00.000-08:00

Forthcoming events!!

1. Wednesday March 17. 8:00pm. Colombian Music Spectacular! At the BarleyCorn Hotel, 177 Johnston Street, Collingwood (Melbourne). Featuring FREE Colombian Dance lesson! (at 7:30); Colombian Food, Over $100 worth of prizes and give-aways!! Bookings: bookings@renewthespirit.org.au; http://www.greentix.com.au/ ; Tel: 5443 2162.

2. The famous Music Trivia and Karaoke night is on again!!! At the New China Restaurant, Bendigo: Thursday March 18. $6:0 (dinner), music trivia starts at 7:30. Kick on with Karaoke till late after the trivia night!!! FUN FUN FUN and great prizes!

Newspaper artilce about winning photo!

2009-12-04T22:42:00.000-08:00

This is the scan of a Newspaper article published on Sat. Dec 9th about RTSF Founder Phil West's award winning photograph which is to be used in the UNDP campaign 'Humanising Development'.

Sponsor uses RTSF refugee artwork for Christmas Card

2009-12-01T23:44:00.000-08:00

This the font cover of the Christmas/Season's Greeting card from Beck Legal to its customers and clients (over 300 sent out). The artwork is from a Karen refugee living in Bendigo (click to enlarge).

Our New Office - thanks to Beck Legal and Telstra

2009-11-25T21:13:00.000-08:00

This is our new office space provided free of charge (pro bono) by Beck Legal. Telstra are also supporting us by the provision of free internet, line rental and STD and local calls! A big thanks to these major sponsors.

Founder joint winner UNDP Global Photographic Competition: 'Humanizing Development'

2009-11-23T21:40:00.000-08:00

RTSF Founder and President, Dr Phil West, has been honoured by a photograph of his being included in a special photographic campaign by the UNDP.

The following is the text from the campign website.

'How do you see development? How can you portrait the human face of the development processes? How do you show that development initiatives and programmes improve the lives of people? This Global Photography Campaign show examples of people winning the battle against poverty, social exclusion and marginalization. It is intended to raise awareness of the successes in the development process. The campaign is intended to counterbalance the frequently shown images of desolation and despair. A photo gallery will be permanently located at IPC-IG office and open for public visitation. A series of photo exhibitions will also be organized in several cities around the world.

We are pleased to announce the campaign’s 50 selected pictures, which are displayed below. We would like to thank all participants from over 100 countries who sent us their photos and shared their stories, dreams and challenges.' See: http://www.ipc-undp.org/photo/

Women of Note End of Year Concert for RTSF!

2009-11-11T22:11:00.001-08:00

Sunday Nov. 15, 2:00 pm
John E Higgs Hall
Girton Grammar School

Tickets available from The Capital: 54346100

www.thecapital.com.au

Second RTSF Music and Karaoke Trivia Night!

2009-11-11T22:07:00.000-08:00

COME To the second RTSF Music and Karaoke Trivia Night:

Wednesday 18 November. 6:30pm

$16 Chinese banquet - 'As Much as you can Eat'. Trivia starts at 7:30.

Hundreds of dollars worth of prizes and fun and games! CU then!

Come to the MELBOURNE Fundraising event! Nov. 27

2009-11-01T18:56:00.000-08:00

Please come to our Melbourne Fundraising event:

'A Window into Latin America':

Friday November 27. 7:30pm Yemaya Studio - Cuban Dance Academy - Level 1/269 Johnston Street, Abbotsford (cnr Park St). Proudly supported by the Cuban Dance Academy

CLICK on the picture to open a PDF flyer which you can save and/or print to post around at your work place at Uni etc ... thanks, gracias

Best Actress winner Kat Stewart, - our Community Goodwill Ambassador

2009-10-05T03:55:00.000-07:00

At the RTSF Table - Jackson Browne Concert, 2009

2009-10-05T03:47:00.000-07:00

Mulllticultural Festival, 2009

2009-10-05T03:43:00.000-07:00

The Launch! August 2008

2009-10-05T03:34:00.000-07:00

Photos from the Launch. August 2008. The Foundation was launched in Bendigo by the Hon. Jacinta Allan, MP, a Minister in the Government of Victoria, Australia.

RTSF at Refugee Week Bendigo - July 2009

2009-10-05T02:35:00.000-07:00

Refugee Week Photographs. Bendigo, July, 2009:

Sudanese Dancers

Karen Burmese

Photos from Cubamemucho event, Melbourne, Sept, 2009

2009-10-05T02:18:00.000-07:00

Photos from Cubamemucho event in Melbourne, September, 2009

Cubamemucho is an international event held in only a few chosen countries in the world. It is a celebration of Cuban music and dance and features shows and intensive dance workshops. The Cuban Dance Academy of Melbourne was the Australian event holder and Christina Monneron gratiously supported RTSF via allowing us to have an information table and holding a raffle for us! Thanks Christina!

Phil & Catalina at the RTSF Table

Norm and Catalina

The Dancing!

At the Workshops

Backstage at The Melbourne Forum