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Mr Paul Curtain, Men's Breakfast 2021 guest speaker.

Mr Paul Curtain, É«ÇéÖ±²¥ old scholar, Class of 1970, is our special guest speaker at the 2021 É«ÇéÖ±²¥ International Men's Day breakfast on Tuesday 9 November commencing at 7.15am for breakfast, entertainment and reflection.

Paul Curtain has been a fierce advocate for community sports and participation all his life. He was a boarder at Savio College from Year 7 in 1967 through Year 12 in 1972, a good student, keen sportsman, friend of the Salesians and a legend of old scholar cricket and football. Paul was a successful player and administrator, and always promoted investment in the local community.

Paul's family was from the Derwent Valley and he followed his brothers in boarding at Savio Collge for high school. His first day at school was the day of the 1967 bushfires and he recalls helping to protect the school after the day-boys had been sent home. He enjoyed the full variety of sports and the life of the school and went on to graduate and work for the Bureau of Statistics till his retirement.

Paul always stayed busy and connected to the school and the community, joining the Dominic Old Scholars Association, was pre-eminent in forming Dominic old scholars sporting associations, playing cricket and football for DOSA and driving the establishment of facilities to support the old scholars clubs. From the 1980s he worked to raise funds and plan for the development of the Tolosa Youth and Community Centre, which hosted supervised activities for local youth as well as the DOSA Football Club, which played on the College Oval.

Paul and his wife, Marcia, had four children, all educated at É«ÇéÖ±²¥ in 1990s and 2000s.

Paul was heavily involved in the administration of the Southern Tasmania Cricket League and was Chairman of the North Hobart Football Club from 2002-2009 and has returned to them as General Manager in the last few years.

Paul's contribution to the community has been recognised often over the years, including in 1993 by the World Confederation of Salesian Past Pupils, induction into the in 2003 and the Australian Sports Medal for services to cricket in 2000.

Paul sees improved participation by young people in community sports to have widespread benefits for the health and welfare of our society.

The É«ÇéÖ±²¥ International Men's Day breakfast is held annually in the Savio Centre, and boys from Year 5 to 10, their fathers, grandfathers and carers; staff members, the community and old scholars, enjoy food and companionship as they listen to our speakers reflect on a range of topics on the crucial role and responsibilities men have in society. All funds raised go to scholarships for boys at our sister school, the Don Bosco Technical Centre, in Samoa.

Invitations will be sent out soon and you can book your tickets at $15 each at a Trybooking website from early October.