State Branches in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia are administered by a State Branch Committee consisting of a Branch Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer plus a committee of ordinary members. Each State Branch holds regular meetings, usually held in a member's home on a weekend allowing for the attendance of members and their families. It provides the main opportunity for members to get together at a local level. Occasionally, State Branch meetings are held in conjunction with a social function.

State Branches organise a number of social and recreational functions and weekends throughout the year which may include barbecues, car rallies, restaurant dinners, basketball weekends, get-togethers for parents with short-statured babies and young children, as well as the organisation of Christmas parties for both the adult and children members.

Queensland operates as a social group with a co-ordinator, while North Queensland operates as a regional branch. Both South Australia and Tasmania have members but currently their State Branches are inactive.

For further information and the latest news from the State Branches, click on the following links:

• New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory
  Website: www.nsw.sspa.org.au

• Victoria
  Website: www.vic.sspa.org.au

• South Australia (Currently inactive)

• Western Australia
  Website: www.wa.sspa.org.au

• North Queensland (SSPA Regional Branch)

• Queensland (Social Group)

• Tasmania (Currently inactive)

New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory

For further information and enquiries about NSW/ACT Branch activities check the NSW Branch website at http://www.nsw.sspa.org.au.

• For earlier New South Wales Branch reports go to the 
  New South Wales Branch Reports Archive.

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Victoria

Branch report - November 2011
 

It’s hard to believe that we’re almost at the end of another year and are headed into 2012! Christmas festivities are just around the corner and to celebrate, the Victorian branch will be holding their annual Christmas parties:

 Adult’s party: will be held on Saturday 3 December at The George Hotel, 139 Cecil Street, South Melbourne. Celebrations will commence at 7.30pm in our own private area. Cost per person is $10.00. A range of finger food will be served and of course there’ll be plenty of dancing. Please come dressed with ‘a touch of Christmas’. RSVP to Robert Paton by Saturday 26 November on 0408632331.

 Children’s and Teens party: will be held from 12.00pm on Sunday 4 December at Albert Park Lake, Aughtie Drive, Albert Park. There is a playground, bbq facilities and a Rotunda opposite the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) where we’ll all be gathering. Life Be In It will run some fun and games from 1.30pm. RSVP to Meredith on 0438882478.

Other upcoming events on our social calendar include:

 Friday 25 November: Sspitfires will play at half time of the Melbourne Tigers vs. Sydney Kings basketball match at the State Netball and Hockey Centre. Over 50 tickets have been sold to SSPA members and friends.
 Friday 2 December: Sspitfires will play in an exhibition match at Federation Square as part of the celebrations for the International Day of People with a Disability.
 Saturday 3 December: NSW have been invited to participate in a state of origin basketball match to coincide with the Victorian Branch Christmas parties. North Melbourne Sports Centre has been booked from 11.15am–3.00pm. The day will also offer a boccia tournament. Further details from Sam Millard at samuel.r.millard@gmail.com
 General Meeting and Ocean Grove Weekend: the first meeting for 2012 will be held in conjunction with a weekend away in Ocean Grove. Further details to come.

More on the sporting front:

 Sspitfires presentation night was held on Friday 4 November at the home of Margherita Coppolino. As a result of the umpires, coaches, scorers and players giving their 3, 2 and 1 votes each week, Nathan took out the MVP award for the season in a thrilling finish – well done Nath, certainly well deserved. Jonathon was runner up, followed by Sam in third position. The other award for the evening was the Supporters award, where supporters gave their 3, 2 and 1 votes – Mikey Spain was the winner of this award, a fan favourite in everyone’s eyes! Congratulations to the Sspitfires on their 10th and best season to date.
 Tom has been liaising with the Bulleen Boomers who have offered to help the Victorian and national basketball teams in their preparation for the World Dwarf Games and to raise the profile of short statured basketball. They have also invited the Sspitfires to play in a halftime match in January/February 2012.
 25 March 2012: Golf day at Garfield Golf Course – 9 holes, commencing at 2.00pm. Tom has met with the staff at the Garfield Golf Course, who are very interested in helping the SSPA run a golf day.

Small Talk aired their fifth and sixth shows on Wednesday 5 October and Wednesday 2 November. The October Show featured Graci and Ollie on the microphones and focussed on parenting a child with a condition of dwarfism. The show featured a discussion between short statured and average sized parents on the ups and downs, the ins and outs, the dos and don’ts. The November show saw Jonathon and Margherita take over the reins and present on accessibility which included information on housing modifications, car pedal extensions and some good discussion on how much help is too much. The 7 December show will be on employment issues and in January we’ll be presenting two sides to a common debate within the short statured community: is there a difference between acting and entertaining?

Meredith Tripp
Victorian Branch Secretary
 

For further information and enquiries about Victorian Branch activities check the Victorian Branch website at http://www.vic.sspa.org.au

• For earlier Victorian Branch reports go to the 
  Victorian Branch Reports Archive.

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South Australia

Branch report - June 2005

Yes we are still here. Only a short note this time.

Things have been pretty quiet over here since our last get together. Various circumstances have dictated a lack of organised get togethers up til now. Hopefully I can get back on track and organise the rest of the year. 

Perhaps next time there will be lots of news from SA that I can write about. Until then all the best from SA.

Ian Gunn,
Secretary

Social diary

To be announced.

For further information and enquiries about South Australian Branch activities contact Ian Gunn ph.: (08) 8295-1726 or email: ian.gunn8@bigpond.com

• For earlier South Australian Branch reports go to the 
  South Australian Branch Reports Archive.

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Western Australia

For further information and enquiries about Western Australian Branch activities check the WA Branch website at http://www.wa.sspa.org.au.

• For earlier Western Australian Branch reports go to the 
  Western Australian Branch Reports Archive.

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Queensland

Our last get together was at a new farm park in September. It was a lovely day, not too hot and cold and those that turned up had a great time. We are fund raising with chocolates to assist with the next year's Convention. I have been involved with a play group which involves parents and some short statured children with different conditions of short stature. I will continue to be involved and keep everyonel informed. In December on Saturday 5th the Brisbane group are gathering for a Xmas picnic at the new farm park. We will let you know how the day turned out.

Best wishes to all
Have a wonderful Christmas
Danielle Carty

For further information and enquiries about Queensland Branch activities contact Danielle Carty ph.: (07) 3882 2382 or email: cartydani@hotmail.com

• For earlier Queensland Branch reports go to the 
  Queensland Branch Reports Archive.

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North Queensland

Branch report - November 2011

G'day from North Queensland,

My goodness, where do I start! After what I believe was a VERY successful Convention, we have been keeping a mostly low profile. I think we all needed some time to recover and reflect on what a wonderful time we all had. Not to mention catch up on some sleep!

Early November Tiana, Laura, Liz and Kaylene took some time out of their busy lives to offer their assistance at the Special Children‟s Christmas Party, held in Townsville. They were able to give gifts to the kids, and see their very happy smiles. Well done girls!

We were recently invited to attend a day run by fun flight which is based around a day of anything aviation; displays, flights etc... It is to offer a day of fun for families with children touched by illness or adversity. More information can be found at www.funflight.org. It was a wonderful day, and everyone had a great time!
 
We have our Christmas Party happening on 10th December. We will be having a BBQ lunch at Liz & Tiana‟s house. Not to mention a dip in the pool too! We hope to see some of our „out-of-towner-families attend also.

Hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas, and New Year!

“Merry Christmas from North Queensland”

Social diary

To be announced.

For further information and enquiries about Northern Queensland Group social activities contact Sandra Lundie ph.: (07) 4779-3741; or e-mail:
sandra_lundie@live.com.au

• For earlier North Queensland Group reports go to the 
  North Queensland Group Reports Archive.

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Tasmania

For enquiries about becoming an SSPA member in Tasmania contact Sarah Belgre at the above phone number.

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Any comments or suggestions should be forwarded to: francisjk@bigpond.com
Copyright: ©2000 Short Statured People of Australia Inc. All rights reserved.
Last updated: 06 January, 2012