An Anglesea Angel

LOCAL PROFILE: PAULA FOWLER An Anglesea Angel

By Jenna Crawford Paula Fowler has been a resident of Anglesea for 40 years, moving from Colac when her mother and father (Marion and Noel Russell) purchased the Anglesea General Store, which was more commonly known then as Maid Marion's.

Paula finished her year six at Anglesea Primary School, then went on to Grovedale College, where she embraced opportunities to learn both technical subjects and academic ones.

As a 12-year-old, she often helped out at Maid Marion's, thus developing her abilities in customer service and relations … values she still holds dear today.

Her early career saw Paula working as a customer service officer in the Rates Department for Barwon Water in Geelong, where she developed a sophisticated computer system for the issuing of rates notices.

Prior to her time at Barwon Water, she had also worked in the Rates Department at the City of South Barwon. Both roles required a keen

Anglesea local Paula Fowler is a great support to many in the community. attention-to-detail and a high level of customer service, offering help and advice to a mixed variety of customers. She left her job at Barwon Water to start a family with her husband, Darryl. They have three beautiful children and could not think of a better place to raise

a growing family, than Anglesea. The community aspect of caring and giving is paramount to Paula, and played a large part in their decision to stay in our small coastal village.

When the Russell family initially moved to Anglesea, they became very involved in the Anglesea Football and Netball Club in voluntary capacities. Paula and her sister played junior netball, whilst her brother played football.

Paula’s two sons became involved in cricket and football, and her husband was soon coaching the junior cricket teams. Following in her parents’ footsteps, Paula has spent much time volunteering in the football and netball realms. She felt it was time to give back to the community and volunteered to fulfil many different roles over the years at the Anglesea Football and Netball Club. She played netball, coached netball, umpired netball and spent time on the committee.

She became Team Manager for the Under 10s football team and remained in that position for many years. Her role encompassed many different tasks, including the organisation of all paperwork, making sure everything was in place –registering players, organising volunteers, first-aid supplies, applications and assigning umpires.

Her role extended further to the organisation and provision of club apparel.

She became a general committee member and, in 2017, became the Junior Co-Ordinator for Under 9s through to Under 17s.

She worked with Jamie Mackenzie three seasons ago to embrace some recent refugees from North Geelong into Anglesea's Under 15s, 17s and 19s football teams, offering them an opportunity to experience Australian Rules Football and share extended family experiences.

One of the highlights of Paula's time at the Anglesea Football and Netball Club was to take the responsibility to get the club online. It now has its own website, meaning that registration, merchandise and payments can all be completed online. This year, Paula is filling the role of Club Secretary. In appreciation of all the hard work and hours Paula has dedicated to the Anglesea Football and Netball Club, she was awarded the Anglesea Football and Netball Club's ‘President's Award’ in 2018.

In her professional life, Paula began working as an administrator at Great Ocean Properties, in the Anglesea office, eight years ago.

With her natural ability to chat in a friendly manner, she soon progressed into sales.

Her strong community knowledge has enabled her to offer the best form of service to both buyers and sellers. She has a strong dedication and a high degree of respect for her fellow team workers and loves being involved with them.

Paula says it is most rewarding to help others realise their dreams and her local knowledge is unsurpassed in offering properties to prospective buyers.

In her advertising promotion, Paula states, “My enthusiasm for helping others, my local knowledge and friendly approach help me connect with clients and provide them with the best possible service”. I couldn’t argue with that, as Paula is passionate about all things Anglesea.

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Communities Coming Together By Mary Bremner “Tis an ill wind that blows no good,” as my mother was fond of saying. COVID-19 is trying our communities sorely, but some of the practices that have resulted are meeting with so much favour, they are likely to stay with us when the pandemic is behind us.

Those of us who’ve been involved in the Surf Coast Shire’s Community Support Meetings are all in agreement that these forums should become a permanent fixture. Back in March, our Surf Coast Shire Councillors identified that they could have a role in connecting community groups and co-ordinating efforts to help people most affected by the pandemic. Shire officers identified people in Anglesea and Aireys Inlet who represent a cross-section of community groups, and invited them to take part in weekly meetings using the Zoom platform. Representatives came forward from the towns’ traders’ organisations, churches, businesses, schools and other community groups. (See next page for list of all local groups involved). Anglesea Ward Councillors, Margot Smith and Tony Revell, have taken turns to chair the meetings, which usually start with an information update from the Council, with Council Community Support officers Lynne Hume, Lauren Watt and Kate Smallwood on hand to provide additional input. “We quickly realised that local responses are absolutely vital in helping people through this pandemic. We took a place-based approach and supported each community to lead because every community is unique and focuses on its own issues,” Cr Smith said. In the early days, the agendas covered the programs instituted to keep the community safe. The use of our beaches, the need for social distancing in public places and the potential influx of holiday-makers over Easter were hot topics raised by participants. There was concern about the consequences for families of school students learning from home and the impact of social isolation on people’s mental health.

Information about the support available from the Shire, including online resources, was channelled through the participants back to the community, along with knowledge of the limits of the Shire’s powers during the crisis. For example, it was useful, when talk turned to closing the Great Ocean Road, to know that Council does not have the power to shut off roads –this rests with the state government. Participants were happy to provide councillors with frank feedback –some of the Council signs were seen to be a bit too aggressive in tone. One community member offered to balance this with homemade signs displaying positive messages –an idea that received the nod from our councillors.

The meetings proved to be a valuable opportunity for the community representatives to share how local groups were adapting to the restrictions and the needs that became evident when people were isolated in their own homes.

There is also an active group in Lorne, and the councillors noted that different communities across the Shire have focused on different issues, including food relief, local communication, support for businesses, mental health and homelessness.

Council brought welcome news in April when they announced a $2 million COVID-19 support package, including relief for ratepayers and businesses experiencing financial hardship, support for tourism, food and hospitality businesses, and grants available to businesses and community groups. As the months rolled around, the concerns changed from ones of public safety and health issues, to a greater emphasis on the survival of our towns’

economies, encouraging tourists back to the coast, promoting the ‘shop local’ campaign and negotiating the easing of restrictions.

Praise for the benefits of these meetings has been high. Participants have expressed great appreciation that Council was making a genuine move to consult with local community leaders and that the councillors and shire officers were really listening to, and acting on, the feedback from the community. The meetings provided a great opportunity to learn about how other groups are adjusting their operations under the restrictions, to hear their stories and find ways we can work together and support each other. Libby Stapleton, representing the Aireys Inlet Market, commented, “With the situation constantly evolving, it’s been helpful to receive regular updates and be able to ask our Councillors direct questions. “The value in staying connected as community leaders and representatives from various organisations, will no doubt serve us long after COVID settles.

“These are the sort of connections that help communities become more resilient and, if we can maintain this as a regular forum, I think we will all be better positioned to manage new challenges as they arise,” Libby added. Aireys Inlet resident, Geoff Brown, foreshadowed that this model could be used to great effect at the beginning of the fire season with the Council, CFA and community representatives meeting online to impart accurate information and discuss fire-readiness strategies. Julie Martin, representing the Anglesea Community House, reflected the mood, after the announcement of the return to Stage 3 restrictions. “It has been a very different world during COVID-19 and we know that it won’t be over anytime soon. We have to find the positives and watching our community coming together is definitely a positive.” If you belong to a group that you would like to see represented in these meetings, please contact Lynne Hume at the Surf Coast Shire Council, via LHume@surfcoast.vic.gov.au

The following community groups /organisations have been represented through the Council ‘Support Meetings’ during COVID-19:

Anglesea

Anglesea Community House Anglesea Community Network (ACN) Anglesea Primary School Anglesea Medical Centre Anglesea Football / Netball Club Anglesea Baptist Church Anglesea, Aireys Inlet Society for Protection of Flora & Fauna (ANGAIR) Business and Tourism Anglesea (BATA) Aireys Inlet/Fairhaven (3231)

Aireys Inlet & District Association (AIDA) Aireys Inlet Primary School Aireys Inlet Primary School Parents & Friends Aireys Inlet Market Aireys Inlet Rural Australians for Refugees (AIRAR) Aireys Inlet Uniting Church CFA Aireys Inlet Brigade Captain of Aireys (Aireys Tourism & Traders) Community Garden 3231 Great Ocean Road Health Great Ocean Road Real Estate Repair Café Surf Coast Country Women’s Association (CWA) Thinker / Community Member (Geoff Brown)