Looking back at my first month as CEO of COTA Victoria, I can’t help but be somewhat overwhelmed by the incredible staff and volunteers that make up this leading not-for-profit organisation representing the interests and rights of people aged 50+ in Victoria. I don’t believe that I’ve witnessed this level of dedication, hard work, knowledge and commitment […]
This will be my very last COTA Connects. While you are reading this July edition, I will be handing over the reins to our new CEO, Chris Potaris. As I look back over my nearly four years at COTA Victoria (three years as CEO and 10 months on the board), I can certainly say it
Happy autumn! I can’t believe summer is over and we are now into autumn. It really seems that the days fly past at a faster rate of knots with every passing year. As the numbers start to come down and Victoria settles into living with COVID-19, I’m taking heart with the slow return to face-to-face
Volunteers are the lifeblood of many organisations, especially in the not-for-profit sector. COTA Victoria couldn’t have survived 70 years – and indeed, would not have even started – if it weren’t for dedicated people volunteering their time and skills to advocate on behalf of older Victorians. Our volunteers work hard to help make Victoria a
Happy birthday to us! The festival of 70 is about to start. COTA Victoria is turning 70 on 30 April, and we want to celebrate all things 70. Seventy years is a big milestone for an organisation – we must be doing something right to have survived this long! While we will look back on
Welcome to the first edition of COTA Connects for 2021, and may it be a kinder year for us all. After a short break, the COTA Victoria Team has returned full of energy and vigour. The COVID-19 situation remains, and although things are starting to return to some sort of normal, we aren’t out of
What a year it has been. I’m sure many of you, like me, are looking forward to a fresh start in 2021. After all we have learned this year, we will be better equipped to deal with the ongoing effects of the pandemic that will be around for a while longer yet. It hasn’t been
At the time of writing, we are preparing for our very first virtual AGM. This has certainly been a year of doing things differently. Also, for the first time in a long while, we have 4 candidates nominated for the COTA Victoria Board. I wish all candidates well and judging by the large number of
I start this newsletter by paying my respects to one of our Honorary Life Members, Bob Barron, who passed away in late September. I extend our condolences to Bob’s family and thank Bob for all he did for COTA Victoria. He will be missed. The COTA Victoria team has pulled together another exciting newsletter for you to enjoy. This month we’ve been organising ourselves
It’s not quite ‘welcome back Victoria’, but we’re getting there. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I was really pleased to learn that the Victorian Government’s roadmap to reopening allows for ‘social bubbles’, meaning that Melburnians living alone can now choose one other person to visit with at home. This is an
‘It seems a week is a long time in Victoria during the COVID-19 pandemic.’ This was the opening of my message last month, and this month it rings even more true. We in Victoria now find ourselves in a situation that can only be described as surreal. I’ll be honest: I’ve struggled this week, not
It is with gratitude that I write my last column for COTA Connects. It has been a great privilege to lead our wonderful team of staff and volunteers in working with older Victorians to advance the rights, interests and futures of Australians as we age. Our work has given Victorians who are 50+ a voice
