On the Grapevine

What could be more appealing than a holiday with your ‘besties’ in a beachside location such as Byron Bay, which is expecting an influx of thousands of teenage revellers, set to commence on November 25.

While it is a fabulous time for Schoolies, for the Red Frog Crew, it is two weeks of sleep deprivation and dealing with issues that young people go through.

However, the ‘Froggers’ have all been part of the experience and now look after the ‘newbies’ to ensure they enjoy the experience and arrive home safely.

Red Frogs Australia Chaplaincy Network was founded by amazing skateboarding accountant Andy Gourlay, who became concerned about the wellbeing of young people and the temptations ahead of them.

‘Froggers’ are there to combat a culture in our country dominated by alcohol and other dangerous substances and are seen as the heartbeat of the network.

Hundreds of well-trained, mature young people, generally between 18 and 25, provide direct relief, safety and support to teenagers across 14 locations throughout Australia.

Excessive consumption of alcohol and other substances is a mammoth problem and can often get out of hand.

‘Froggers’ are, in effect, like a big brother or sister; they are there to ensure everyone is safe and cared for.

They are invested in safeguarding the lives of their own generation.

They provide a positive peer presence to empower young people to make positive choices as they progress in their young adult lives.

The volunteers pay their registration and travel expenses but are provided with meals and accommodation. They have undergone training to be able to deal with a range of issues and are easily recognisable in their newly designed t-shirts.

Schoolies register on the hotline upon arrival, giving their name and address of where they are staying.

If they are in trouble and need assistance, they can call the number, and the nearest ‘Froggers’ group will be alerted immediately.

Working in small groups with ambulance and medical staff, together with police officers, to ensure every young person is kept safe from harm.

The family of Chris and Annette Mustica, both pastors of Cobram’s Riverside Church, have been involved for some years with the Christian Youth Charity.

Eldest son Hayden, now 29, began as a ‘Frogger’ at 18 and eventually became part of the Byron Bay organising team until recently, stepping down to concentrate on his career in the film industry.

Daughter Hannah, 25, is a psychologist for a not-for-profit organisation and a location leader in Byron Bay, requiring her to speak with the council, obtain permits and support and oversee more than 60 volunteers.

Pastor Annette has raised funds and donated to the ‘Red Frog’ organisation’ for many years and, during the past five to six years, has been part of the team set up at the Byron Bay Uniting Church, preparing meals for hard-working volunteers.

They also make large quantities of pancakes for ‘Schoolies’ who may have not been to bed and need something to eat.

The cooking teams provide lots of hot, nourishing food and conduct theme nights such as Italian, curry and Mexican to maintain volunteer enthusiasm and energy.

Pastor Annette cannot speak highly enough of the support the Red Frogs organisation has received from Cobram churches, particularly the Anglican and Uniting Churches.

As one can imagine, it comes at quite a cost to not only the volunteers but the Schoolies who have forgotten to eat.

Making sure they are hydrated and have enough to eat is vital.

Allens generously donates 24 tonnes of red frogs every year, providing a welcome injection of energy for the Schoolies, as everyone loves a red frog.

Volunteers operate in pairs or small groups and can be found throughout the day and night at the ready to assist where needed.

Pastor Annette recalls in 2019, one girl who began her shift at 6pm and finished at 7.30am the next morning after walking many groups home safely to their accommodation checked on her FitBit to discover she had walked 38km.

“We have some amazing young people who become involved,” she said.

It is not only Schoolies where the ‘Froggers’ can be found helping out but also Orientation Week at universities, university parties, and music festivals where they operate hydration stations and one-day cricket events.

Red Frog crew is undeniably vital to the wellbeing of our future leaders of tomorrow as they continue their journey into adulthood.

Champion Cobram-Barooga golfers

They did it.

Sixteen Cobram-Barooga lady golfers journeyed to ‘cluBarham’ Golf and Sports Club recently to compete in a fun-filled two-day event and claimed champion and runners-up status.

The innovation at Barham also proved to be a winner for the club and competitors.

The entry fee per team of four was $300, which included two rounds of golf, a formal dinner with entertainment on Monday and afternoon tea on Tuesday and some fantastic prizes, including $250 prize money for each member of the winning team.

Cobram-Barooga golfers showed their skills on the beautifully prepared course, and the girls were delighted to take out both winners and runners-up in a field of 104 (26 teams) women from around the region.

The winning team comprised Veronica Irving, Margaret A. Majernik, Narelle Bouton and Jennie Gould with 228 stableford points.

Runners-up were Kerrie Fisher, Jen Tom, Deb Ryan and Carolyn Huggins, with 225 points.

Also noteworthy is Kerri Wilki, runner-up on Monday in the B-grade stableford event.

Well done, girls.

Keep it up; it proved you’re a force to be reckoned with.