Bernie's 2 Minute Friday

Peter Reilly has led a storied career defined by service to the community. With more than 40 years’ experience as a senior executive, Peter has used his financial acumen to make a difference with a range of cultural organisations and marginalised groups. He has served as the Director of the Melba Opera Trust and is on the board of the Australian Ballet, with which he has been closely associated since 1996. He is Executive Director of Lifeview Residential Care, a high-quality aged care service in Melbourne, and former Director and Treasurer of Able Australia, a leading disability services provider supporting people with disability to live the life they choose. One of Peter’s key achievements with Lifeview has been leading their LGBTQI inclusion program. This saw the company receive Rainbow Tick accreditation and become a Foundation Sponsor of the Victorian Pride Centre, advocating for older members of the LGBTQI community. 

Peter’s dedication and community-first ethos saw him earn a well-deserved Order of Australia Medal in 2021.

Closer to home, Peter served as the Chairman of the St Bernard’s College Foundation and is a member of our Hall of Fame, inducted in 2021. He is also the chair of Scotchman’s Hill Winery on the Bellarine Peninsula. Peter still gives back to the College in many ways, most recently generously providing fine Scotchman’s Hill wine to the participants of our Chris Lane Golf Day. 

We congratulate Peter on all his success and his dedication to our community!

Image via Able Australia

The 2024 Chris Lane Golf Day took place last Friday and was once again a success, with 60 players taking on the 18-hole course and keeping up good spirits despite fierce 37-degree heat. It was a close contest for the top three team prizes. Individually, players tried their luck at the Nearest the Pin and Longest Drive competitions, or made wagers to see if they could score some cash. A special mention to Phil Baravecchio, who not only ran the betting hole but also made sure everyone was hydrated with water or an ice-cold beer to handle the heat!

Congratulations to Dean Marnell, Steve Gray, Ray Kenny, and Kevin McGuire, who took out the Chris Lane Cup for 2024, and to all our prize winners:

2nd Place: Bill Leropoulos, Tony Cornish, Dave White, Nick Schultz

3rd Place: Steve Perrett, Tim Harvey, Tim Sullivan, Shane Doyle

Nearest the Pin (10th Hole): Dean Marnell

Nearest the Pin (17th Hole): Tim Sullivan

Longest Drive: Xavier Goring

A heartfelt thank you to Medway Golf Club for hosting and catering, our major sponsor MNG Lawyers and hole sponsor Bendigo Bank, and Scotchman's Hill Winery, Cathedral Lodge and Numurkah Golf and Bowls Club for generously providing raffle prizes for the day.

Photos of the day can be accessed via Alumnly - link here.

Thanks to all the players for a great turnout and we hope to see even more people at our 2025 Golf Day, which will be held on Friday the 21st November - save the date!

We're delighted to announce the launch of our new alumni platform, Alumnly, designed to offer you improved engagement with our fantastic Old Collegians community.

Our new platform opens up a world of possibilities for you to connect, engage, and stay informed. Whether you're browsing through photos from cherished moments, exploring or posting job opportunities, seeking support, or staying updated on upcoming events and reunions, our platform is here to cater to your needs. You can also share your own achievements and stories, fostering deeper connections within our vibrant community. It has been great to see lots of sign-ups already and Old Boys have begun networking, updating their profiles and reminiscing with photos from back in the day.

Last week we sent out an email from Alumnly, containing instructions on how to access your updated alumni site. With our new platform, the login process is now smoother and more convenient than ever – just a simple click of a button. Upon logging in for the first time, we kindly ask you to review and update your contact and other relevant details to ensure we can stay connected and informed. If you don't have access to the email, you can sign up here: SBOCA Alumni - St Bernard's College 

We have some fantastic events planned for our alumni next year, including Reunions, St Bernard’s Foundation Events and St Bernard’s Old Collegians Association (SBOCA) Events. These are a great way to stay connected to our community and Alumnly will help you stay updated and informed on all of them.  

We would love to see even more sign-ups in the coming weeks to continue building an exciting and supportive Old Collegians online community. Any questions or concerns can be directed to alumni@sbc.vic.edu.au. 

After a successful run this year and thanks to the support of Bendigo Community Bank Keilor East, we're very excited to announce that the SBOCA Bowls Day is back for 2025! It will be held on Sunday the 9th of February at Aberfeldie Community Bowls Club. 

Get your team of 3 together or come as a pair or individual, and you'll have the chance to win cash from a $3000 prize pool! There will also be lunch and refreshments provided - so whether you want to bowl for glory or simply kick back in the summer sun, this is the day for you.

We invite all from the St Bernard's family - Old Collegians, current students and family members - to participate. Save the date - bookings will be open soon!

Our new segment gives us a Bernies spin on the #flashbackfriday trend! Each issue we'll delve into the St Bernard's archives and find photos, objects or awards that will give us a trip down memory lane.

This week, with Wicked hitting Australian cinemas, our segment takes us back to 2010, where St Bernard's and St Columba's put on their own production of the Broadway musical The Wiz, a modern update of the original Wizard of Oz film. This program comes from opening night (5th of August 2010) and shows the making of the production - and the students having an absolute blast! 

The St Bernard's Old Collegians Association is excited to announce that the SBOCA Grant program will continue in 2025! 

The Global Gateway Grant is available for Old Collegians planning international study, and the Leadership in Community Grant to help fund those who are making a positive difference. 

Check out our interview with Simon Vitelli (class of 2019) for a taste of what the Global Gateway grants can help you achieve! SBOCA Grants Program - Mr Simon Vitelli 

For application details or more information, please contact Ben Lamaro at blamaro@sbc.vic.edu.au.

On Monday 25 November, we celebrated the remarkable sporting achievements of our students from the 2024 academic year, in an evening that showcased the dedication, talent, and hard work of our athletes, from securing ACC premierships to representing our state in various sports. 

We are incredibly proud of each and every one of our students for your commitment and the spirit you bring to our College! Their efforts have excelled both on and off the field, generating a strong sense of sportsmanship and camaraderie.

A special highlight of the evening was the presence of Jordan Boyd from the Carlton Football Club, who graciously joined us to present the awards and share insights from his own career in the world of sports. His words of wisdom resonated with both our students and parents, and we are grateful for his support to our outstanding athletes.

Congratulations to all our talented students for their incredible achievements throughout the year! Their hard work and determination have paid off and we look forward to seeing them continue to excel in their sporting pursuits.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the St Bernard's College Motorsports Academy in 2025, the first program of its kind in Australia. This innovative initiative has already generated significant interest from both parents and students. We are eager to engage with professionals and enthusiasts in the motorsport industry.

For more information or to explore potential collaborations, please contact Erin Mepham at emepham@sbc.vic.edu.au