Day 5: Pool Party and Community Day!

Fun in the Pool!

At the stroke of 9:30, as the Sabbath took its leave, the participants of Carnival 2015 made their way to Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre (GESAC) to attend one hell of a pool party! GESAC was soon abuzz with excitement as kids donned their cozzies to swim in any one of the multiple pools on offer.

The outdoor pool did not prove the most popular as temperatures plummeted, whereas indoor there was a plethora of different options. The waterslides were the hot ticket item as participants lined up for huge lengths of time to ride. Zahra from WA commented that “the waterslides were fun but the line was super long,” whilst Matt from NSW was just thankful that “the water was warm.”

The party lasted two hours, with our DJ providing some tunes that got everyone into party mode throughout the night. A great time was had by all; the only issue voiced by some was that the party did not last long enough! It was a great evening and again lived up to the high standards set by previous socials! Tamar of WA called it “the best party yet!”

Community Day:

In recent years, Community Day has become a staple of the Carnival calendar, as participants are sent out into the wider community to volunteer in some capacity. There were a wide range of different volunteering options undertaken this year…

Jewish Care

A large number of Carnival youth headed to Jewish Care for their volunteer work, wherein they were separated into different groups, learning about various aspects of the organisation whose headquarters they spent their day in. They were taught about the practical runnings of Jewish Care and its place in the community, as well as spending time with residents. They were taught interactively, through an array of icebreakers which endeavoured to impart information upon them in an enjoyable fashion. A number of young volunteers from the community also helped out in teaching the kids about Jewish Care.

Citywide - Black Rock

Out at Black Rock, a number of participants helped Citywide, a conservation group, in weeding and cleaning up the area. They spent the day doing so before heading back to the city where they were collected. “It’s a great thing,” said NSW’s Matthew of his volunteering experience, “it’s a nice break from sport and it feels good to give back to the community.”

Challah for Hunger

Some participants were based at Central Synagogue and volunteered helping make ‘Challah for Hunger’, which they baked and then ventured out to sell. They managed to raise a significant sum of money for this unbelievable organisation, which donates the funds it raises to various Jewish charities. The kids seemed to enjoy both the process of making the challah as well as the distribution. “It made me feel like eating… also it’s nice to be able to give back to the community,” said Tayla of NSW, who volunteered with Challah for Hunger.

CoastCare - Altona

Some carnival participants made a slightly longer trek to put their gardening skills to good use in the baron wasteland that is Altona. Assisting with the conservation of plants; participants watered and rendered growing trees in the desolate land, doing their bit for the environment. The work done by our Carnival youth will play a key role in ensuring that plant life in this rural area continues to thrive, their efforts will essentially ensure the survival of these precious trees.

As the temperature gauge turned up in Altona as did the hunger of the participants and soon enough lunchtime rolled around much to the pleasure of the kids. Following lunch, they completed their volunteer work, indulged in a well-earned stroll along the beach and headed back to familiar territory, where they were picked up.

C-Care

Yeshiva was the location of another community program activity. C-Care, an organisation which director Shlomo Nathanson explained essentially performs the function of feeding Jews living below the poverty line in isolated areas. The organisation endeavours to have volunteers often visit the same clients, thus forging a relationship between the two and offering those in need some valuable support. The participants worked hard in the kitchen, slicing and dicing roast vegetables, potatoes, carrots, cabbages and fruit salad, whilst others slaved away to bake some biscuits. The volunteers did a marvellous job and the food which they prepared will go towards feeding someone living below the poverty line.

Emmy Monash

Some volunteers headed to Emmy Monash, where they participated in a number of enjoyable activities, games and conversations with the residents of the home. During the initial phases of their time there, participants were paired up with a resident and were asked numerous questions aimed to facilitate them getting to know one another. Next, some residents told tales of their own sporting endeavours. One of whom was an ex-Leeds United footballer and another the featherweight boxing champion of Poland! Finally, Israeli dancing was participated in by both residents and participants alike. “It was nice seeing the inter-generational interaction and the level of respect the participants displayed for the residents,” commented NSW youth leader Tali Binkin.

For some it was a relatively new experience but for Victorian participant Monique Lustig, Emmy Monash was nothing new at all. Lustig spends 2 hours of her time ever Sunday morning volunteering with residents with dementia. She commented that is was “nice to spend time with different residents and to see other people at Carnival also volunteering at Emmy Monash!”

Stay tuned each day of Carnival 2015 to catch up on all the highlights from on the scene. Written by Jake Rosengarten. Photos by Paul Topol and Zack Garkawe.