Every organisation has its pioneers and its heroes. Those people who laid the foundation for the great work that would follow. The kind of person whose legacy is felt for decades after their direct involvement in the organisation has ended.

For SU QLD, Keith Drinkall is such a figure.

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By Wendy Ferguson,
Relationship Manager – Bequests

It’s a question that has plagued the greatest minds throughout history.

For an insight into answering this question, consider the common things people say when faced with their own mortality.

Palliative Care Nurses will tell you that many regret not spending more time with family, not helping others more while they had the chance, or spending too much time trying to please the wrong people.

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A cornerstone is the foundational piece of any building project. Without it, a building cannot stand.

One of our cornerstones is Yvette Atkins, who celebrates 25 years of faithful service to Scripture Union Queensland (SU QLD) this year.

In 1990, at 19 years of age, fresh-faced and with a fresh perm, Yvette stepped into her role as Secretary.

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This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Rainbow Beach Community Outreach. Whether you attended activities as a child, or have been a past volunteer, we’re inviting you to attend and celebrate this milestone from the 26th of December to the 5th of January.

Rainbow Beach has seen a dedicated team of volunteers visiting each year with the goal of connecting and serving the community. It is this solid heart of volunteerism that has kept the event going for 40 years. (more…)

“When I started with the Wynnum Manly Local Chaplaincy Committee, we had 1 chaplain. Now we have 10 schools in the district that have chaplains.”

Tom Andrews has seen many changes over his 25 years volunteering on the Wynnum Manly LCC but that statistic is something of which he is especially proud. The committee, as do many committees around Queensland, supports its local chaplains by helping to fundraise for the chaplaincy role, and ensuring the chaplain is cared for and supported.

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To celebrate SU QLD’s 25th Year of School Chaplaincy, we spoke with another pioneer, Bruce Dobbin, and our very first chaplain, Paul Tuxworth.

“To tell the story of our very first chaplain, we need to go to the year 1982,” says Bruce, who’s been working with SU QLD since 1978 in various roles, including managing and training chaplains.

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There are key characters in all great stories. And Keith Drinkall is just one character who authored the first chapter in the story of chaplaincy.

Keith’s life was altered when a shocking event occurred that would change his life and the course of SU QLD…

“A young man from our church was killed in an accident. As a teacher, it made me think of my students and if they were to lose their lives prematurely,” says Keith.

At that moment, Keith decided he wanted to do anything he could to make a lasting difference in young people’s lives. “A week later I received a call from Jim Rawson (former CEO) offering a position in schools work.

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Betty Benn has been connected with SU QLD since birth. She was raised in a farming family where they would sit together daily to do a Bible reading, including Scripture Union’s Honeycombs series for children.

At the age of 17, SU QLD’s Beach Mission became Betty’s strength and support. “During boarding school years I got to travel to be in the company of lots of passionate Christian volunteers.

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Heather McDonald OAM, who opened three hospital schools in Brisbane, has been praying for SU QLD ministries for 70 years!

For 43 years, Heather McDonald worked as a teacher, venturing into all sorts of classrooms across Queensland — from hospital wards to one-teacher schools in the Darling Downs.

“I trained as a primary school teacher, but was a jack of all trades. I was the principal at Brisbane’s Royal Children’s Hospital for nearly 25 years,” says Heather, now 90. She went on to open schools in three other Brisbane hospitals — The Mater in 1963, Prince Charles in 1966 and Ipswich in 1975.

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Bev Hodgson has been involved with SU over 70 years, across three countries

In 1944, 14-year-old Bev became involved in the then-Crusader Union at Brisbane Grammar School.

Seventy years, three children, and 10 grandchildren later, Bev is still devoted to SU QLD’s mission.

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