News from Autism Victoria

Dear eSpectrum Subscribers and Autism Victoria members

It is with much pleasure that I inform you all of a very successful inaugural meeting of the new Board of Autism Victoria on Monday evening the 15th.  of December.

At this meeting election of the Office Bearers was held and I have much pleasure in advising the outcome of the elections.  Four positions were open for election with the results being:

President:           Professor Bruce Tonge

Vice president:   Michelle Carson

Treasurer:          Graeme Wickenden

Secretary:           Peter Heard

Annual Award Recipients

At the recent Annual General Meeting a number of people were recognized by the outgoing State Council for their commitment to Autism Spectrum Disorders and were awarded either Creative Futures Awards or Life Membership of Autism Victoria.

Creative Futures Award 2008 - Exemplary service

Dr Lawrie Bartak is the recipient of an Autism Recognition Award for 2008. Lawrie was nominated for an Exemplary Service Award by Dr Cheryl Dissanyake on behalf of the Autism Vic Research Reference Group. In the nomination Lawrie was described as an essential part of the autism Community in Victoria, Australia and the UK since he first worked with Professor Michael Rutter and other forty years ago. He is a highly respected teacher, clinician, researcher and commentator in the field. He has given extraordinary amounts of his time willingly and voluntarily to working parties, boards, committees, advisory groups and the like. Lawrie is overseas at present and will receive the award at an occasion when he returns.

Life Membership Awards

There were two life memberships awarded at the Annual General Meeting. The State Council nominated Mrs Olga Tennison for life membership of Autism Vic in recognition of her wonderfully generous support of the autism community by way of a 1 million dollar donation for the establishment of the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre at La Trobe university.

Dr Joan Curtis was nominated for Life membership by the Executive Committee. Joan is very well known to the autism community. She is a founding member of Autism Victoria and an early figure in autism recognition and services.

The move to our new office

Autism Victoria has a new home

As from Monday the 15th of December Autism Victoria is opened for business at its new address.  The new office is located in Carlton and we will be inviting all Autism Victoria members to celebrate the new location in early 2009.

The details of the new location are:

Street Address:   24 Drummond Street, Carlton  Vic 3053

Postal Adress:PO Box 374, Carlton South Vic 3053

Phone: 9657 1600    Fax: 9639 4955

Christmas Closure

The office will be closed for 4 working days being December the 29th., 30th., 31st.and January the 2nd. 

About eSpectrum

eSpectrum is compiled and distributed by Autism Victoria Inc.  All information is included in good faith, and is current at time of release.  Any views expressed in eSpectrum are not necessarily those of Autism Victoria Inc, the State Council, Executive Committee or its member agencies.  The publication of a product or program in eSpectrum should not be taken as an endorsement of the service or the product(s).  Autism Victoria has included details of products and services for the information of readers in good faith.  Readers should take care to evaluate them for their suitability to their particular needs.  Queries, items for inclusion and comments should be directed to Murray Dawson Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Autism Victoria at ceo@autismvictoria.org.au.

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