Annual Christmas Party

Our Christmas Party will again be held at Leigh’s home which makes such a great party location. The Fab Four (Christine & Barry and Bob & Keith) will again be cooking up a storm for us and we’ll enjoy an excellent 3-course dinner, whilst to add further to our natural gaiety we will be entertained by the MotaGirlFrenz (Amanda Dyfour, Luna Lobotomy, Anne Phannie and Mary Christmas) and by Games and party tricks.  Fantastic entertainment, Fabulous food, champagne on arrival, (BYO other drinks), gifts, and games. What a finale to the Club year!

WHEN:           Saturday, December 6
TIME:              From 7.00pm
WHERE:        Leigh Miles’s home, Blackburn South – address supplied when you RSVP

FIND Us: Call Leigh on 9888 7506 (H) 0439 019 117 (M)

COST:  Members $25, non-members $30 (or $25 if join on the night), plus a $5 Kris Kringle
BOOKING: Essential by December 1

CHEAP EATS & COMMITTEE MEETING

WHEN:           Wednesday, January 7
TIME:  Committee Meeting: 7.30pm
            Dinner: 8.30pm
WHERE:        Carringbush Hotel, 22 Langridge St, Abbotsford
COST:            Cheap Eats
BOOKING:     Preferred
CONTACT: Gordon Campbell, 0407 882 696 [M], This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Committee invites you to come along and participate in the monthly committee meeting. If you have an event idea or any other suggestions concerning the running of the Club, this is the perfect opportunity have your say. Of course, if you just want a bit of fun, that’s OK. After the meeting, we enjoy a good old-fashioned pub meal and a few light refreshments.

Rutherglen Argonauts Regatta

Melbourne Argonauts Queer Rowing Club will be competing at the Murray Rowing Association Regatta and have invited Motafrenz to join them for a relaxing weekend. Motafrenz have a number of options:-

Friday: drive to Rutherglen, accommodation at The Rutherglen Hotel (same as The Argonauts).

Saturday: Day at leisure. Your choice: tour the Rutherglen-Milawa wine district or attend the Rowing Regatta.

Saturday Night: Dinner with The Argonauts at a local pub.

Sunday: Come up from Melbourne for the day if you like – join us at the Rowing Regatta at Lake Moodemere (VicRoads Ref Map 34 H2). We will relax at The Argonauts marquee, cheering, supporting, eating, and lazing around between events.

Sunday evening – return to Melbourne at leisure.

WHEN: Saturday January 10 – Sunday January 11

DEPARTURE & CAR POOL: Check Anthony

WHERE:                  Rutherglen   

BOOKING:     Essential for Accommodation and Dinner on Saturday night. Not required for Regatta.
ACCOMMODATION & DINNER BOOKING: Peter Sagar (Argonauts) 0417

568 533

BRING:          Discuss with Peter

FIND US: Call Anthony on 0439 392 160

CONTACT: Anthony Wiseman      [03] 9830 0980 [H], 0439 392 160 [M], This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Midsumma Carnival Day

For something new and different Midsumma starts 2009 with Carnival. All the traditional favourites will be there: fashion parades, dog show, drag queens, weirdly-dressed community members, social scientists wanting to pry into our personal secrets, loud drag shows and earnest community groups. So, come along, enjoy the day and help us to promote Motafrenz to the GLBTI community. Volunteers wanted to work our stall and recruit new members. Contact Russell now. This is our opportunity to present Motafrenz to the GLBTI community and is a great recruitment opportunity.

WHEN:      Sunday, January 18
TIME:                   From 11.00am
WHERE: Alexandra Gardens, Alexandra Ave, Melway 2F, J7. (NOT Treasury Gardens as in previous years)
COST: Gold coin donation
VOLUNTEER: to staff the Motafrenz stall – call Russell on 0439 852 963 [M]
BOOKING:              Not required
FIND US: Russell on 0439 852 963 [M]
                                                       

Motafrenz Midsumma Car Rally

Join Motafrenz for a great drive through a beautiful part of the country along roads you have probably never travelled before. Test your navigating and treasure hunting skills in a fun way as you drive to our secret meeting place for lunch and swapping of stories about your adventures on the open road.  Bring your picnic LUNCH. Don’t worry about getting lost – you will be provided with a “Panic Pack” – just open it and follow the directions to our lunch location!

WHEN: Sunday January 25

LEAVE: 10am                             

FROM: Como Park North, cnr Alexandra Ave & Williams Rd North, South Yarra. Melway 2M D3 NOTE NEW START POINT FOR 2009
TO: It’s a Secret

FIND US: Call Shaun 0425 833 866 (M)

ROADS: sealed
BRING:  - e-tag, picnic lunch or BBQ, afternoon tea.

COST: $15 per car (incl driver) + $5 per passenger. All profits go to the Burnet Institute for Medical Research.

BRING: Picnic lunch, e-tag, sunscreen, hat, chair or rug. (No guarantee bbqs will be available). 
BOOKING: Preferred - Shaun 0425 833 866 (M) This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

CONTACT to VOLUNTEER: Shaun 0425 833 866 (M) This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

JOY FM Picnic-in-the-Park 

“Forest Glade” is a home set amidst acres of very beautiful gardens. The Open Day is an annual fixture in the Midsumma Calendar, and is a major fund-raising event for JOY Melbourne.  

Come along! Enjoy a drive in the country, a picnic in beautiful surroundings, meet your Motafrenz friends, make new friends, and support a good cause. Motafrenz will have display of our cars – and this is a good opportunity to recruit new members and friends.

WHEN:      Monday January 26
TIME:  Gates open 10am, Motafrenz Car Display from 12:00 midday. Gates close 5pm

WHERE: "Forest Glade", Mt Macedon Rd, Mt Macedon.

Melway 609, G10, VicRoads 60, B8, Town Map 285

¨      Drive through the township of Mt Macedon.

¨      About 1 km after the township you will see “Forest Glade” on the right hand side.

¨      You will notice a number of cars parked on the side of the road and you should also see a brightly coloured JOY car and balloons.

COST: FREE if you display your car, otherwise $10 per person for Motafrenz, JOY and Midsumma members, $15 for others, 100% of revenue goes to JOY.
DISPLAY YOUR CAR: please call Leigh by January 14.
BOOKING: Not required for attendance

WHAT TO BRING: Picnic, rug, chair (No BBQs permitted, no animals permitted).

CONTACT: Leigh 0439 019 117 (M) 98887506 (H) This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

FEBRUARY 2009

Pride March

The Pride March is a public display of the courage, solidarity, pride and diversity of our Community. Motafrenz’ participation in the last 7 years has always been very well received with our dance routine and cars an immense hit.

The Motafrenz Dancers return in 2009 with fabulous new routines and outfits. We will be even bigger with a new theme to thrill the crowds. There will be banners, flags, marchers, dancers and possibly midgets and dwarves and escaped zoo animals.

NOT DANCING? If you are not interested in being a dancer, that’s fine.  Support the Club by marching down Fitzroy Street with other members.

DANCING AUDITIONS - No Way!

Everyone is welcome to become a dancer in the Pride March. There will be no auditions – you do not need to be a dancer, just willing to commit to rehearsals [to be held in January and want to have fun!

Paul Hollingworth is the Team Leader for Motafrenz’ participation in Pride March 2009 – see ad in this issue and contact Paul if you would like to be a dancer.

Dancer Volunteers CONTACT:  Paul Hollingworth (M) 0422 989 441, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

WHEN: Sunday February 1
TIME:  Assemble: 3.00pm, March commences 5.00pm sharp
WHERE: Cnr Fitzroy St. and Lakeside Drive, St Kilda
COST: Free
BOOKING: Not required, although if you wish to be a Dancer, or drive your car in the march please contact Paul Hollingworth by December 9.

FIND US ON THE DAY: Call Paul on (M) 0422 989 441

CHEAP EATS & COMMITTEE MEETING

WHEN:           Wednesday, February 11
TIME:  Committee Meeting: 7.30pm
            Dinner: 8.30pm
WHERE:        Carringbush Hotel, 22 Langridge St, Abbotsford
COST:            Cheap Eats
BOOKING:     Preferred
CONTACT: Gordon Campbell, 0407 882 696 [M], This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Committee invites you to come along and participate in the monthly committee meeting. If you have an event idea or any other suggestions concerning the running of the Club, this is the perfect opportunity have your say. Of course, if you just want a bit of fun, that’s OK. After the meeting, we enjoy a good old-fashioned pub meal and a few light refreshments.

3^rd Sunday – Go topless to Portsea – Lunch @ Bwad & Warwick’s, clifftop artists’ walk and bay swimming.

Go topless (bring your convertible or carpool with someone who has one). Come and join us for a lovely Picnic BBQ at the home of Michael and Peter (aka Bwad and Warwick aka Dodgy Bros) in Portsea. The Historic Artists’ Walk along the Portsea Cliffs and Sorrento Foreshore has been upgraded this year with additional paths and more copies of paintings, including the works of Albert Tucker. There are spots along the way where copies of famous paintings are exhibited alongside the actual scene as painted by the painter. Prominently featured is the work of Arthur Streeton (1867-1943), one of the stars of the Heidelberg School of Australian impressionist painters. We also walk past the manicured front gardens of the beautiful cliff top homes of the rich and famous, and have the opportunity to swim in the bay. The walk also features a cairn commemorating the site of the first European settlement in Victoria in 1803.

WHEN; Sunday 22nd February

TIME:   9am for morning tea for a 9:30am prompt departure

FROM: Brandon Park Shopping Centre, outside Video-Ezy, enter from Springvale Rd, Melway 71, C9

OR MEET US from 11:30am onwards at Bwad & Warwick’s at Portsea.

COST;    Nil

BRING; Food for BBQ/ Picnic, swimming togs, sunscreen and walking shoes

BOOKING; Preferred (if meeting at Brandon Park) or essential if going direct to Michael and Peter’s (aka Bwad & Warwick’s) address.

CONTACT; Peter and Michael: 0408 695 992 (M), 5984 3346 (H), email