Scotch College

Reaching out – a local and world view

Scotch boarders are looking both locally and overseas to help those less fortunate than themselves.

Words: DAVID ASHTON

Study, school life, sport, social and boarding house activities can make any boarder’s life busy and demanding, but many of Scotch’s boarders are looking outside the square and helping those less fortunate than themselves.

One excellent example was the visit to Cambodia during the term 2 holidays by four boarders – George Stevenson (from Jerilderie), David Pemberton (Albury), Peter Hodges (whose parents live in New Zealand) and Damien Lipshut (Tatura) – together with School House Master Mark Williams.

The party helped build houses for local people living in villages about 15km out of Phnom Penh. They rolled their sleeves up in the heat and grabbed pick-axes, spades and rakes to help construct one-room family homes, travelling out from the capital early each morning and returning in late afternoon.

They also visited the famous temple of Angkor Wat and sites around Pnomh Penh such as an orphanage, where they saw children living happily in what (to Australians) was very basic accommodation. As George Stevenson said: ‘It was great to see how happy they were with the little they had’.

David Pemberton, who had been to Cambodia before, said the experience was memorable, especially a visit to the chilling but fascinating genocide museum in Pnomh Penh. The architecture of the Angkor Wat temple impressed Peter Hodges, while Damien Lipshut found meeting and getting to know the villagers while helping to build the houses was most stimulating, once the language barrier was overcome.

Back home, in May 50 boarders participated in the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal. Two busloads of Scotch boys headed off to Ashburton and parts of Camberwell and doorknocked hundreds of homes, raising more than $2,000 to help Melbourne’s underprivileged people. This is a traditional boarders’ venture, with the boys having raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Salvos over the years.

In addition, the boarders supported the Parents’ Social Service Auxiliary which sponsors two children through Childfund Australia – one in East Timor and another in Papua New Guinea, helping these children and their communities in a most practical way. Twenty-four boarders were among a large Scotch contingent at a screening of the latest Indiana Jones movie in June, which raised sponsorship funds.

These fundraising efforts – and the Cambodia visit – have given the boarders an understanding of the importance of helping those less fortunate than themselves.
GS