ALEX RATHGEBER
COMMUNITY
Alex Rathgeber Performing Artist Scholarship
Staged annually in Alex's hometown, Horsham in country Victoria, the RM Showcase is a concert celebration honouring the great life and legacy of Wimmera performing arts facilitator, the late Richard Morris.
Alex has worked closely with the RM Showcase team to launch a new scholarship designed to encourage and assist young performing artists from around the Wimmera community. The recipient is awarded a $1000 prize to support their training and development, and the chance to perform at the RM Showcase concert at Horsham Town Hall Performing Arts Centre.
In 2023, the recipient was talented young performer Sienna Walsgott who has appeared in a variety of local productions and events. After completing her Year 12 studies in 2024, Sienna commenced studies at Showfit Studies (formerly Centrestage Performing Arts School) in Melbourne.
Sienna is photographed (left) by The Weekly Advertiser with passionate Horsham arts supporter Jan Morris and recipient of the Richard Morris Memorial Scholarship, Joel Kimberley.
The 2024 prize was awarded to gifted singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, 16-year-old Prue Heard (right) pictured performing in the RM Showcase as part of her prize.
After completing her year 12 in 2025, Prue has commenced studies in Music Performance at COLLARTS in Melbourne in 2026. She plans to continue writing and recording her own music.
The inaugural prize was awarded to local singer Sofia Laursen Habel. Sofia then spent 2020 and 2021 performing in concerts around the Wimmera before relocating to Denmark at the end of 2021, where she continues her career as a professional classical vocalist.
for regional young performing artists
Movember
for men's physical and mental health
Alex participated in the 2023 Movember fundraising campaign to help reduce the death rate of men for preventable reasons.
'On average, men die 4.5 years earlier than women. A growing number of men – around 10.8M globally – are facing life with a prostate cancer diagnosis. Globally, testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men. And across the world, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 69% of all suicides.
Movember is uniquely placed to address this crisis on a global scale. We fund groundbreaking projects all over the world, engaging men where they are to understand what works best and accelerate change.'
Starlight SuperSwim
Alex has participated in The Starlight SuperSwim Challenge in 2023 and 2026, raising funds for Starlight Children's Foundation.
For over 30 years, Starlight Children's Foundation Australia has supported young people through some of their toughest times, providing transformative in-hospital support to seriously sick kids across Australia.
Working alongside clinicians wherever they go - from the bedside in major paediatric hospitals to mobile clinics visiting remote communities across the country - Starlight use play, social connection, and creativity to bring joy, laughter, and comfort to sick kids when they need it most.
for sick kids
.jpg)