Joe Felice, 64, president of Whittlesea’s University of the Third Age.
I HAD been in management for decades and lived around the world before retiring and coming to South Morang four years ago.
I discovered the University of the Third Age (U3A) and have been
busy ever since.
I became president three years ago. I was also the secretary of the South Morang Probus club for three years but resigned in March.
We run 58 courses and activities each week across the City of Whittlesea. There’s something for people to do all the time, seven days a week, and we take pride in it. If we can help just one person get out of the house and keep moving, then we are doing our job.
It’s important for older people to continue to have mental stimulation and learn something new and it’s also a very social environment.
Of our 500 members, 200 are born outside Australia, so it’s a multicultural group for over-55s and everything is free.
Although our headquarters are in Lalor, there’s something going on everywhere like Mernda House, the Epping Memorial Hall, the Mill Park leisure centre, Lalor and Thomastown libraries, the Riverside Activity Centre at South Morang and more.
For those who love languages, they can learn Italian or Cantonese.
Physical activities include exercise classes, a cycling club, walking club and tai chi, while line dancing at the Epping Memorial Hall is very popular with about 50 regulars.
Older residents can hone their computer skills or study future technologies, or others can improve their photographic manipulation skills.
Membership costs $40 a year and you do something every day.
