At our recent AGM, we farewelled Peta Magick and welcomed our new chair Linda Grace, formerly our Vice-Chair.

Peta was one of the first group of mums sitting around the kitchen table back in February 2009 when we formed the seed of an idea, to provide material support to Victorian families in need. She helped us to nurture this idea, it grew and evolved into what we now know to be St Kilda Mums, Geelong Mums and Eureka Mums.

A founding committee member, she developed our volunteering policies and guiding principles.

We used her garage as our first storage facility (after Jess's front porch) to house early donations before we moved into the double garage in the laneway in Elwood. Here she is with baby Eve (now in grade 3) in the Port Phillip Leader.

Over the years, Peta has been an amazing source of inspiration, strength, ideas and leadership to all of us.

From the very first St Kilda Mums committee meeting in 2009, Peta has worked tirelessly in a variety of key roles, including:

• volunteer social service liaison 2009 - 2013
• volunteer notes secretary 2009 - 2015, and
• Chair, St Kilda Mums Inc Committee of Management 2015 - 2016.

In her capacity as social service liaison, Peta answered all requests for assistance and built the foundations of relationships we now have with maternal and child health nurses, social workers and social service agencies.

Without her enthusiasm, persuasiveness, confidence and industrious spirit St Kilda Mums, Geelong Mums and Eureka Mums would not have been possible. For this - and her ability to out-boogie anyone on the dance floor - we are forever grateful.

Although she has stepped down from our Committee of Management, Peta will still be involved in the future as a volunteer. She continues her important work in the not-for-profit sector as a Program Manager at (ABCN) Australian Business and Community Network.

Thank you Peta for your passion, boundless energy, dedication and commitment to making the world a better place for us all. 

Introducing Linda Grace

Linda Grace is a commercial lawyer who has practiced both in private practice and in-house at a number of large corporate organisations.  She has also been involved with a  number of not-for-profit organisations. Before joining the Committee of Management, she served on our fundraising sub committee for three years: “When I began volunteering with St Kilda Mums as a bundler and pro bono legal adviser in 2012 I was blown away by what the organisation had achieved in such a short space of time with 100% volunteer resources and the boundless commitment and passion of its founders; it inspired me to be more involved. I am still constantly inspired by the great need for the services provided, the generosity of the donors and volunteers and the skill and drive of the staff. I am very honoured and excited about my appointment as Chair of this amazing organisation and thrilled to be working with the Committee of Management, our staff and of course our fabulous volunteers and donors. 2016 was an amazing year for St Kilda Mums and I am really look forward to seeing what 2017 has in store for us!”