Brother Dave Merrick msc Memorial Bursary

The proposed Br Dave Merrick Memorial Bursary will be a high honour for its recipients. It would be a sought-after award for worthy young people who would not otherwise have had the opportunity for an education at Chevalier College in the MSC tradition. As well as a financial means test, the criteria for awarding the scholarship would include seeking the attributes and aptitude of diverse, active involvement in school life that Br Dave himself encouraged and exemplified.

The Chevalier College Foundation is reaching back more than 60 years to invite students, staff and families who were part of the Br Merrick era at Chevalier and the other MSC Schools at which he worked, to support this bursary.

To enable the bursary endowment to be perpetual in nature, especially if it is to support a number of students, a large capital sum needs to be raised, from which annual interest can be drawn to fund the bursary.

Please join us in this special endeavour at whatever level you can by pledging support or making an immediate donation.

All donations over $2 to the Br Dave Merrick Memorial Bursary Appeal are tax deductible

The Br Dave Merrick Memorial Bursary Appeal is an initiative of the Chevalier College Foundation. For more information about the Foundation or to support its work, contact the Marketing, Communications and Foundation Manager, Simone Wilson on (02) 4861 1488
or foundation@chevalier.nsw.edu.au

Br Dave Merrick was appointed to the MSC staff at Chevalier College in July 1946 and spent almost 23 straight years at Chevalier, until 1968, in a variety of roles from managing the dining room, to maintenance and cooking. During this time, he was instrumental in introducing cycling to Chevalier and the foundation of the Southern Highlands Cycling Club, with Brian Ward.

In 1968, he was transferred to Downlands in Toowoomba for five years, where he cooked for 450 boys, the MSC community and teaching staff.
In 1973, Br Merrick was appointed to the MSC scholasticate in Canberra for one year, where he was responsible for cooking for 35 MSC students and about 10 priests and brothers. He returned to Chevalier in 1974 as cook and infirmarian. Later he joined the catering staff.

Br Merrick's approach to life is summed up in an extract from his autobiography:
"My theory is that 'life is what you make it' and many wonderful friends and neighbours help considerably. So 'life is very much worth living'; what a great blessing a vocation in Religious life is to a person — so many graces, Mass and Holy Communion each day, and very many happy and grateful students, teachers and parents to share life with. One lad asked me what would I do if I had my life over again. I replied I would choose exactly the same."