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| forwarded by Judith Eadon |
Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) 29 March 2022 Our day at Sandown Greyhound track was the first day of RYDA there this year and also the first there for their new(ish) Coordinator, Anton. We had Judith from Nunawading join our great team of Sue, Barb W, Bob L Stuart and me. Thank you so much Judith! We assisted three schools, Keysborough College, Killester College and Yarram Secondary which Stuart worked with and found that they left Yarram at some unearthly early hour to get to Sandown on time which was by 9-30. |
The usual welcome for all students together was modified due to COVID to a welcome by the presenter of each group at the start of their first session. Farewell was handled the same way.
Our duties were to assist with set up - the guys were assigned to set up the marquee next to the roadway plus ancillary bollards, ropes etc for the outside Speed and Stopping session and the ladies helped with the inside setting up of notices, banners etc.
Our roles then were to accompany a group plus their teacher, show them to their sessions, keep time for the presenter - 10 fingers raised for 10 minutes to go then 5 (but we avoided holding up fingers with 2 minutes to go.)
I think there were about 120 students from the three schools split into six groups with a colour allocated to each group, so the students had a wrist band of a colour with Judith’s group being red. Their first session was a combined one with the black group (mine) on Road Choices then Judith led her group to “Drive S.O.S.” Morning tea was next (always a favourite of mine) then she led them to “The “I” in Drive”, “Crash Investigators” was next with Anat Bigos. Anat was involved in a serious road accident 16 years ago which left her brain damaged and physically disabled and Anat is the one our club and Maroondah nominated for a Rotary “Shine on” award which unfortunately due to COVID has been postponed. Our provided lunch was next (a particular favourite session of Stuart’s.) Red group then did the outside “Speed and Stopping” and finished with “Mind Matters” which followed Genevieve’s story told through her parents and friends, She and her friend were lost when she overtook a car on the Yarra Valley Road, then over corrected and swerved into the path of a four wheel drive driven by an “L” plater which as with most accidents was avoidable.
The day finished at 2pm with the students then bussed back and we packed up. Judith thought she may have been standing outside all day so was pleasantly surprised when she found that our role was so easy, just directing the students around and sitting with them and their teacher, learning ourselves some road awareness tips and their teacher took care of any needs of the students.
Anton said that he is happy to speak at a Nunawading club meeting on RYDA and I said to Judith if he is asked, I would be happy to do a club visit that night.
Another 120 or so “L” platers who should be more aware on our roads and more respectful of other drivers.
Bob Williams
Our duties were to assist with set up - the guys were assigned to set up the marquee next to the roadway plus ancillary bollards, ropes etc for the outside Speed and Stopping session and the ladies helped with the inside setting up of notices, banners etc.
Our roles then were to accompany a group plus their teacher, show them to their sessions, keep time for the presenter - 10 fingers raised for 10 minutes to go then 5 (but we avoided holding up fingers with 2 minutes to go.)
I think there were about 120 students from the three schools split into six groups with a colour allocated to each group, so the students had a wrist band of a colour with Judith’s group being red. Their first session was a combined one with the black group (mine) on Road Choices then Judith led her group to “Drive S.O.S.” Morning tea was next (always a favourite of mine) then she led them to “The “I” in Drive”, “Crash Investigators” was next with Anat Bigos. Anat was involved in a serious road accident 16 years ago which left her brain damaged and physically disabled and Anat is the one our club and Maroondah nominated for a Rotary “Shine on” award which unfortunately due to COVID has been postponed. Our provided lunch was next (a particular favourite session of Stuart’s.) Red group then did the outside “Speed and Stopping” and finished with “Mind Matters” which followed Genevieve’s story told through her parents and friends, She and her friend were lost when she overtook a car on the Yarra Valley Road, then over corrected and swerved into the path of a four wheel drive driven by an “L” plater which as with most accidents was avoidable.
The day finished at 2pm with the students then bussed back and we packed up. Judith thought she may have been standing outside all day so was pleasantly surprised when she found that our role was so easy, just directing the students around and sitting with them and their teacher, learning ourselves some road awareness tips and their teacher took care of any needs of the students.
Anton said that he is happy to speak at a Nunawading club meeting on RYDA and I said to Judith if he is asked, I would be happy to do a club visit that night.
Another 120 or so “L” platers who should be more aware on our roads and more respectful of other drivers.
Bob Williams