Farewell to the Old Aquinians and Friends Reunion Tour Group

After 15 tours to iconic WA locations between 2006 and 2022 (missing 2020 only due to Covid), the end of the line has come for the Old Aquinians and Friends Reunion Tour Group. The original group of travellers was comprised of Aquinas graduates from the 1950’s, with ‘friends’ added along the way as numbers dwindled. Fast forward to 2022 and many of the original group have passed away or now find touring too difficult due to illness or incapacity.

As reported in the December 2021 issue of Fish Magazine, the 15^th tour to Margaret River in November last year was the group’s swansong tour. Since their first tour to New Norcia and Wongan Hills in 2006 - the brainchild of Bill Boekeman (’54) - the group has covered key locations between Kalbarri in the north, Albany in the south and Kalgoorlie to the east, savouring the local attractions at every stop while raising more than $60,000 for Aquinas College Bursaries along the way.

Each tour was arranged and conducted with military precision, thanks mostly to the organisational efforts of Jack (’54) and Ronda Bana. Each year a tour booklet was produced, incorporating the full tour itinerary – dates and times - the names and contact details of all the tour participants, details of all previous tours, details of all previous Foundation contributions and Helpful hints for a happy trip.

Each tour included a special dinner with a live auction of various goods donated by members of the tour group, with the proceeds of the auction - and any leftover tour fees or donations - forming the basis of the annual contribution to the Foundation.

On Thursday 20 January 2022, the College and the Foundation welcomed more than 40 past members of the group for a final, annual Foundation thank you luncheon. The event afforded the group an opportunity to come together for a formal windup that included presentations to key tour group players, speeches and the handing over of their final Foundation cheque for $4,915.

On accepting the cheque - along with a special commemorative plaque - Principal David McFadden thanked the group for their tremendous contributions to Aquinas College Bursaries over many years, contributions that have directly supported the mission of the College to educate boys who would otherwise not be able to attend Aquinas.

Although there was a feeling of great sadness at the closing of an era, there was an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the fun and the camaraderie shared by all who took part in the tours over 15 years, as well as a great sense of pride in helping many young boys to receive an Aquinas education.

From the College, a big thank you to everyone involved. Your generosity has provided many bright and deserving boys with the opportunity to realise their dreams and change their lives for the better. We wish you all good health and look forward to other opportunities to welcome you back to the College.

Louise Symonds
Executive Officer | Aquinas College Foundation

With the 2021 school year now in its final term, there is still time to make a voluntary, tax-deductible contribution to the Foundation and receive a tax receipt for the 2022 financial year. Contributions of any amount can be made by visiting the Online Shop and selecting ‘ACF Inc Annual Bursary Appeal’ or ‘ACF Inc Building Fund’ from the dropdown menu.

Contributions to the Scholarship Fund via the Annual Bursary Appeal have the power to change the lives of boys who would otherwise not be able to attend the College, while contributions to the Building Fund enrich the learning environment for all our boys.

All gifts to the Building Fund and the Scholarship Fund are allowable tax deductions under the name of ‘Aquinas College Foundation Inc Building Fund’ ABN 93 078 219 075 or ‘Aquinas College Foundation Inc. Scholarship Fund’ ABN 93 078 219 075 respectively, with tax receipts provided by the Foundation.

A sincere thank you to all our families who have supported the Foundation during 2021. Every contribution, whether small or large, makes a big difference to the lives of our boys and the future success of the College.

Dust off those dancing shoes and get ready to sing and dance the night away at the Lights, Camera, Action! Foundation Ball on September 4 as we welcome back Perth’s top cover band, Diamond Road.

For more than eight years, Diamond Road has performed at hundreds of events and received glowing reviews for their professionalism, showmanship, outstanding vocals and toe-tapping mix of hits from the 50s through to today.

The Aquinas College Foundation is pleased to announce Karlayura Group as the Major Sponsor for the upcoming 2021 Lights, Camera, Action! Aquinas College Foundation Ball.

A proudly 100% Aboriginal-owned, profit-for-purpose business, Karlayura Group provides a skilled Aboriginal workforce - blue and white-collar - to the mining and construction industries.

Having witnessed the disbursement of Aboriginal people from their lands as they sought employment in cities and towns, Director Brian Tucker recognised the toll this was taking on Aboriginal culture and connection to the land and set about doing something tangible to help his people, establishing Karlayura Group in 2011.

Working closely with construction and mining companies, Karlayura Group seeks and provides employment opportunities for local Aboriginal people. Using a model that facilitates bringing aboriginal people back to country, Karlayura Group provides the skills and opportunities needed to stay on the land and reconnect with culture, in addition to providing better long-term living and strong, self-sustaining communities.

Brian is highly motivated to help young people achieve meaningful employment, and is currently working with Aquinas College to develop VET-related training, apprenticeship and post-school employment opportunities for our Indigenous students in the mining and construction sectors.

Since 2011, Brian and the team at Karlayura Group have delivered projects for the biggest names in mining and civil construction, while making a huge difference to the future of the people who have lived on the land for countless generations.

Brian is a highly respected traditional owner on Nyiyaparli and Banyjima country and is passionate about preserving and passing on Aboriginal culture and connection to the land. He regularly participates in traditional cultural ceremonies that are important to the preservation of songs, dance, knowledge and traditions for future generations. Since 1982, he has been involved with numerous community, heritage and environmental programs and currently sits on heritage boards with some of the largest mining companies in Australia.

The Foundation and the College look forward to working more closely with Brian and the Karlayura Group over the coming months.