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YOUR voice With Mother's Day coming up the Voice asked Pako locals about their plans for the occasion. free monthly MAY 2017
DESIGNING JOY MOTHER AND DAUGHTER PUT THEIR STAMP ON PAKO ICON SEE PAGE 11
Melanie Rodrigo and Ashleigh Kennedy at Sas Designs. Picture: Louisa Jones
Published monthly, covering Pakington Street and surrounds, Geelong West, Newtown
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I’ll spend some time with my children – one’s six-months-old and the other’s just starting kindergarten.
Advertising and content executive: Marie Atkinson 5249 6704 marie.atkinson@geelongindependent. com.au General enquiries: 5249 6700 Managing editor: Tony Galpin 52496700
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We have a family dinner for my mum, my mother-in-law, my sister’s mother... it’s usually quite big.
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My kids might come over but they’re mothers themselves.
– KARA DAVIES, 42, DRUMCONDRA
– JO HARRIOTT, 31, HIGHTON
– VAL LEACH, 75, EAST GEELONG
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I’ll be staying at home doing my jigsaw puzzle. My son and his wife will probably come over.
Usually we go out for lunch or dinner with my daughter.
– EDNA HENRY, 94, HAMLYN HEIGHTS
– LISA DUBROVIC, 78, GEELONG WEST
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We’ll meet with the family for lunch and see the children and grandchildren. – RON DIX, 82, GEELONG WEST
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HARMONY on pako
Pako icon hosts refugee dinner The ladies of Geelong Harmony in action.
Martha hits high note with Harmony NEWTOWN'S Martha Fleet has rediscovered her voice thanks to the "wonderful women" at Geelong Harmony. "They're a fabulous bunch of women with a fantastic musical director," she said. Martha joined the choir in November 2016 after her husband suffered a fall, which at the time she feared would leave him unable to walk. "I joined because I was told my husband would never come home and I would have to find a nursing home for him," she said. Martha was part of school choirs and her husband's church choir, but "never had the time" to pursue her singing since. She saw a flier for Geelong Harmony and went to one of the choir's rehearsals. "I thought I would be old to join," she said. "But they were so welcoming and pleasant that I wanted to be with these women." Meanwhile, Martha and her husband found "an absolutely fantastic physio" who helped him walk again. "Because of my husband's sheer determination he was able to walk again
with a walker," she said. For Martha the choir had become a form of respite. "It gets me out of the house," she said. The women of Geelong Harmony had become more than singing partners too, she said. "We talk about everything - it's a great sisterhood. The thing that holds everybody together is this love of singing." One of Martha's favourite gigs with Geelong Harmony is performing at Citizenship Ceremonies each Australia Day. "The look on their faces is just wonderful - some people have tears in their eyes - they're so glad to come to Australia and be citizens here," she said. Martha was thrilled to be heading to the Sweet Adelines Australia competition with Geelong Harmony in Hobart later this month. "This is the first time I've been to something like this," Geelong Harmony will perform a sneak peek of their song-list for the Australiawide chorus competition at Western Heights Uniting Church on 7 May. Doors open at 7.30pm and entry is a gold coin donation.
Martha Fleet (left) at rehearsals with Geelong Harmony.
ONE of Pakington Street’s iconic tenants will host a dinner to raise money for refugees in the Geelong region. Diversitat announced in its latest newsletter that the Refugee Week Fundraising Dinner would be at Geelong College’s dining hall, in Newtown, on 22 June. “It will be an evening of amazing cuisine and personal stories of rising above extreme adversity,” Diversitat said. “Start planning your table now. Tickets are limited.” Diversitat has provided booking details on its website. Operating primarily out of the former Geelong West Town Hall, Diversitat is the city’s main provider of multicultural community services. “Diversitat has a long and proud history of providing innovative and quality support programs to the changing needs of our culturally diverse community,” says the not-for-profit organisation. “Each year we help and welcome approximately 200 to 300 refugees from countries including Afghanistan, Congo, Iraq, Iran, Liberia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka (Tamil) and Karen and Karenni communities from Myanmar. “Our drop-in case work service for asylum seekers is one such program providing information and referral as well as needs-based assistance for asylum seekers who are not eligible for other federally funded support.” Diversitat was established in 1976 as Geelong Migrant Resource Centre before adopting its current name in 2005. Employing over 300 staff, the government-funded charity also runs Pako Festa, The Pulse community radio and television station, Wholefood Pantry and Kitchen, and Belmont Oppe Shop. Refugee Week this year runs from 17 to 23 June.
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CAUSES on pako
Geelong Region Cancerians Luke Outerbridge, Michelle Challis, Deb Fribbins, Helene Bender, Phillipa Challis, Beryl McMillan, Alison McLeod, Tim Birchall and Gavin Seidel.
GP visit inspires Cancerian quest BY LUKE VOOGT A lifesaving trip to the doctor 2017 has inspired Phillipa Challis's new quest to raise awareness of uterine cancer. The Manifold Heights resident on 18 April helped launch the Geelong Regional Cancerians. "I'm absolutely delighted," she said. "We have a very strong committee dedicated to raising awareness and money." Phillipa immediately saw her GP when she experienced tiredness and stomach pain before noticed a "spotting"
of blood in her urine. But 80 per cent of women waited 18 months to take action when they experienced similar symptoms, she said. "I had discomfort in the stomach, which I put down to perhaps I'd been overindulging." The symptoms came just a year after husband Derek died from oesophageal cancer. "I put my malaise down to not feeling well because I was recently widowed," she said.
The GP referred Phillipa to obstetrician Karl Najjar, who diagnosed her with endometrial carcinoma. "My first thought was, 'Oh my god, how will my daughter cope?,'" Phillipa confided. But gynaecologic oncologist Tom Jobling then performed a lifesaving hysterectomy, telling her after she had at least another 20 years to live. "My daughter said, 'Really? I've got to look after her that long?'," Phillipa told an 80-plus launch crowd to laughter.
Phillipa and fellow Order of Australia Medallist Helene Bender founded the Cancerians to support research of treatments to increase uterine cancer survival rates. "I thought as a thank you for being so fortunate to be a uterine cancer survivor that I wanted to give back to the community," Phillipa said. Professor Ian Brown, CEO of Australia Cancer Research Foundation, and Prof Jobling also spoke at the event at Deakin University's waterfront campus.
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FAIRS on pako
Mano school fair has a bit of flair MANIFOLD Heights Primary School celebrates its fourth 'Mano Carnivale' on 28 April and Principal Barry Rowland hopes for a big turnout. "This year's Mano Carnivale will be the biggest, brightest, most colourful carnivale we have had to date and the children couldn't be more excited!" he told the Voice in the week leading up to the event. The event, which is well supported by many business within the local community, is the school's biggest fundraiser of the year. The school hoped to raise between $25,000 and $30,000 on the day. Money raised will go directly back into the school to help fund a variety of planned projects. As in previous years the popular major event will have carnival rides, a Side Show Alley, Lucky Jars and Geelong West CFA Trucks on site, plus a cake stall, a massive silent auction, with some amazing hampers up for grabs, a major raffle and let's not forget for the adults mystery wines, a scratchie tree and a beer and wine tent. Manifold Heights Primary School
Prep student, Quinn Manning, said 'I'm saving all of my money to buy some Showbags and pink fairy floss." Fantastic bargains will be available at the plant Stall, secondhand book stall, preloved toy sale or from one of the creative market stalls. Children of all ages are bound to have lots of fun at the Dunk-a-Teacher, animal farm, crazy hair and face-painting stall, cubby photo booth, or in the kids arts and craft area. "If you prefer to take it a little easier, you can grab a delicious bite to eat from one of the many food outlets, then sit back and watch one of the local community groups or performers on the entertainment stage", Mr Rowland said. "The whole school community and a large number of local businesses have been involved in event preparations and should be thanked immensely for their continued support." Manifold Heights Primary School will open its gates to the public for the 'Mano Carnivale' on Saturday 28 April 2018 from 11am to 4pm on the school grounds, 20-24 Strachan Avenue, Manifold Heights.
Some of the fun from last year's carnivale.
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SAS Designs & Concepts 317B Pakington Street, Newtown 3220 T 5222 5226 E sasnewtown@gmail.com @sasdesignsandconcepts /sasdesignsandconcepts
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WHAT’S HOT on pako 1
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1. Sas Designs: Limited Edition Casablanca Glasshouse Candle 350g $46.95. 2. Quirk Collective: The Horse Watch Gift Box $169 3. Sas Designs: Pretty Useful Things -Eyebrow Kit $49.95 4. Elk - Boulder Pendant Necklace $50 5. Quirk Collective: Capiz Photo frame $32 6. Sas Designs: "I Love You" plush socks $15
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COMMUNITY on pako
Local nurse surfs onto the screen BY LUKE VOOGT NEWTOWN theatre nurse Emmie Pongase overcame her fear of wiping out, and now she's riding waves on national TV. "I love the ocean, it's a place that I feel at home," she said. The 35-year-old single mum recently featured in a state-wide campaign encouraging women to overcome embarrassment and get active, thanks to her surfing enthusiasm. "It's so challenging for me!" she said. "Even if I stand up for only a second I feel a real sense of accomplishment." Emmie grew up in the Philippines mountain-biking, hiking and skim boarding at the beach. But as she got older a fear of looking silly prevented her from learning to surf. Emmie became a mum and immigrated to Brisbane to become a nurse, before moving to Newtown three years ago. She decided to learn to surf after talking to her friends about it, but as a single mum struggled to find the time. She was afraid her lack of skill could see her get injured in the surf. "The first time we were going to do it I was going to wear a life jacket," she said. "My friend says 'you can't do that you'll look silly!''' After a few surfs at Torquay Surf Beach she realised she could wipe out without being embarrassed. "People don't care - they're doing their own thing and don't really watch you," she said. "While you're out there waiting for a wave you can just relax on the board
Emmie Pongase takes a break from surfing during the filming of a TV commercial.
... no-one talks to me, no one calls out 'Mummy!' or 'Emmie - do this, do that' ... it's so peaceful out there!" Emmie rides a wave in a television
Pako Farmers Market comes to a halt PAKO Farmers Market has closed after eight months of bringing fresh produce to Ashby Primary School for local shoppers. "Everyone's disappointed," said Local Food Loop founder and market supporter Patrick O'Callaghan. "It's something that we thought was very worthwhile and we still do." In 2017 the State Government provided a $30,000 grant for the Melbourne Farmers' Market to do a feasibility study for a farmers' market in Geelong. The study examined supply and demand and potential sites. But only a small portion of leftover funding went towards the Pako Farmers Market itself, Mr O'Callaghan explained. "It certainly wasn't anywhere near $30,000," he said. "Most of that was spent well before it got to Geelong." From the leftover money, Pako Farmers Market hired a manager for one day a week and contributed to the school. The lack of good crowds at the market caused the closure, Mr O'Callaghan said. "The foot traffic through the gate wasn't sufficient for the stallholders to be there." Of the market's up to 20 stallholders, some were operating at a loss, while others decided they could make better profits elsewhere, Mr O'Callaghan said. The Pako Farmers Markets volunteer committee would soon meet to discuss other ways of bringing fresh produce to
Geelong, he said. "We have not canvassed any (ideas) yet - but it will be the first thing we discuss. "We like to say that it's on hold rather than it's finalised - because we're committed to helping farmers in the region. "We know that the food in the region is of fantastic quality." Mr O'Callaghan said the contribution to Ashby Primary School had paid for new infrastructure, which would benefit the school after the market's closure. Despite smaller-than-expected crowds attending the market, locals took to social media with "lovely" messages of support following the closure. "People are genuinely disappointed they won't be able to attend any more."
commercial for This Girl Can - Victoria which Vic Health modelled on a similar UK campaign. According to Vic Health more than 40
per cent of women say embarrassment, intimidation or a perceived lack of skills prevents them from being active. "I can relate to them," Emmie said.
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BOOKS on pako
By Sue @ The Book Bird
THE LAST PEACH
THE ENDSISTER
THE RUIN
by Penni Russon
by Dervla McTiernan
by Gus Gordon
When dad inherits creaky old Outhwaite House the whole family moves from a farmhouse to London. Dad remembers the house but it's new for mum and the four kids. It's a house with secrets, including a creepy attic door. The Endsister is told in multiple viewpoints, including that of mysterious duo Almost Annie and Hardly Alice. Some of the family adjusts easily to the new home but not all. Something's very unsettling about this old house. It is no small challenge to write a story from multiple points of view, but this mystery is in skilled hands. Readers will be drawn to the family and its individual adjustments to living in a new world. The Endsister is a compelling read ideal for young independent readers who enjoy a shivery tale.
Australian author Dervla McTiernan's debut novel, The Ruin, has taken the reading world by storm, and it's easy to see why. This crime novel is fast paced, features strong characters and keeps you asking not only who did it, but why. Though I started to put some pieces of the puzzle together there were many that eluded me. The story centres on Detective Cormac Reilly, who returns to Galway, Ireland after an absence of twenty-years and a successful career in the city. Reilly revisits an apparent drug overdose he investigated before leaving Galway and soon discovers links between it and the death of a young intern's boyfriend, dismissed as suicide. This is cracking read filled with twists and turns and perfect for the crime novel fan.
In late summer two bugs discover what they agree is the most beautiful peach of the season. They pause to admire the peach, with plans to eat it. Then other bugs arrive with their own opinions, including why it should be left alone. The illustrations use collage, including magazine, newspaper and book cutouts, mostly in French. Each character has its own text colour, so no attribution is required and the characters are easily personalised. The reader is eavesdropper to this apparently simple yet hilarious conversation as the bugs agree, disagree and accept or reject advice in quick succession. From the perfect peach of the cover through to the thoughtful, hungry bugs, it's a delightful book to share with young readers.
SCYTHE
HOW TO SWEAR: AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE
by Neal Shusterman
by Stephen Wildish "When executed correctly, swearing can be a true art form, a think of beauty." My parents insisted if something was worth doing, it was worth doing well, so with that in mind, I picked up graphic artist Stephen Wildish's How to Swear. If I'm going to do it, I'll do it well. This book is a guide to the complex business of swearing, covering everything from word origins to the words' correct grammatical use. Who knew there were so many ways to use a single word. This is the perfect book for the swearer in your life. But be warned, this book is filled with extreme language.
If you love a brilliantly constructed dystopian novel, read Scythe. What a book. I loved the idea, the delivery and the pace of this young adult novel, and can't wait for the second book in the trilogy. Scythe is set in a future where the only way people die, is if they are gleaned by a Scythe. Each year Scythes' choose an apprentice to teach the art and rules of gleaning. For the first time in gleaning history, Scythe Faraday selects two apprentices, Rowan and Citra. It's not long until the pair discover not all Scythes work the same way. This is a fantastic book, but be warned it is violent and confronting. One for readers old than 14.
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Q&A on pako
Winter is coming... Defend the wall in the battle against eczema.
Mother-daughter team design joy at Pako icon Mother and daughter team Melanie Rodrigo and Ashleigh Kennedy put their own stamp on a “Pako institution” when they took over Sas Designs. Melanie takes a little time out of her busy schedule as Mother’s Day approaches to chat about her time in Pako. Tell us about yourself. We are originally from Melbourne and moved to Jan Juc when the children were very young. Ashleigh now lives in Armstrong Creek and my son Sean lives in London. I oversee Sas Designs on a day-to-day basis and Ashleigh is responsible for our new online store and she assists with buying. What makes your store different to others in Pakington Street and Geelong? At Sas Designs we stock gifts for all occasions, our stock is quite diverse and new stock arrives weekly. Ashleigh and I source beautiful items, that we would like to give as a gift and fashion we love to wear. What are the most important things you look for in a product? Every item in our store has to be beautifully designed and of high quality. Affordability also plays a big part when we source items.
Where does your passion for your work come from? Both Ashleigh and I have worked in retail for too many years to admit. We enjoy the creative aspect of merchandising and displays and the practical day-to-day running of our little shop. How long has your store been open and how have you enjoyed working there? Sas Designs is a bit of an institution in Newtown. We have owned the shop for the past two years, but it was a favorite of ours long before that. We enjoy working together as a mother daughter team and bouncing ideas of each other in regard to what we want to stock and the look of the shop. We want to make it a relaxed and inspiring environment for anyone who wants to come and shop or browse. What got you into the business? We had always spoken about owning our own shop and wanted a change from the retail jobs we had. It was good timing that we found Sas. We knew we wanted to stock items that hadn’t been seen in Geelong before and showcase some of the areas new design talents. How has the lead-up to Mother’s Day been like this year? We love the lead up to Mothers Day. It’s so much fun helping our lovely customers find the perfect gift for their Mum. We have been busy so far with lots of new arrivals specifically for Mothers Day like Limited Edition candles, spa products and cute socks. What do you love about Packington Street? Finding the right business for us was the first decider, but we knew we always wanted to be in this location. The village atmosphere and independent retailers offering an alternative to the big chain stores was the obvious place for us to be. What changes did you make when
you took over the store? We initially made a few changes to the existing model by including more fashion and accessories, brands like Humidiity clothing and Pure Folly accessories, but we kept all the customer favourites that had made Sas Designs a popular place to shop. We definitely wanted to put our stamp on our little shop. After a full year of planning we are particularly excited to launch our online store this month, which will have our most popular items and some exclusive to online items as well. Plus we still do our gorgeous gift wrapping for online presents too. Do you have any new products coming in? Our winter clothing ranges are instore now, our range of Birdie Cashmere knits have proved to be a customer favourite. And ranges like Liberte jewellery and our Elms and King handbags have new styles arriving monthly. How do you like to get involved in the local community? This year we designed in-house a range of birthday cards. We donate $1 from the purchase price of each card to The Barwon Health Andrew Love Cancer Centre. It has been so well received by our customers that we hope to expand the range next year. Who would you like to have dinner with, alive or dead? There are a few people I would like to have dinner with. People from fashion, art and music. But you can’t beat a big noisy family dinner! Tell us something about you that people may not know. I spend what spare time I have training in Brazilian Jujitsu and Ashleigh continues her creative pursuits as a photographer.
Kerry Brotchie Pharmacist
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Melanie Rodrigo and Ashleigh Kennedy have their doors open at Sas Designs.
ECZEMA is the name for a group of skin conditions that result in red, itchy and inlamed skin. It is very common: 1 in 3 Australians will sufer from it during their lifetime. It is most likely to occur in children, often appearing between 2–6 months of age. It is also more common in people with a family history of eczema, asthma or hayfever, and often lares up during winter. Luckily, most children grow out of it by six years of age, but for 10% of the population it stays with them into adulthood. So why is eczema so common and how can we best manage it? Australia’s high prevalence rate may be due to our intense hygiene practices, such as regular hot baths and the use of soap, which can alter the skin’s integrity and make it more reactive to irritants. Eczema can be triggered by internal factors such as additives, colourings and preservatives; and external irritants such as overheating, wool fabrics, and chemicals like pool chlorine or fragrances. Management involves improving the skin barrier. Imagine the skin is like a brick wall. Now imagine the mortar in between the bricks slowly wearing away. his may be due to genetic factors, use of soaps, or over washing and rubbing of the skin. As the mortar wears away, gaps form allowing irritants to get in. When this occurs an inlammatory reaction results causing red, itchy, laky skin that can be quite uncomfortable. To reduce lare-ups our aim is to ensure the bricks and mortar are in good condition and able to repel any external irritants. To reduce the breakdown of mortar we need to use a cleanser that doesn’t dry out the skin or trigger a reaction. To improve the integrity of the skin we need something that adds moisture, ills in any gaps in the mortar and also seals the surface to stop the skin from drying out. hese need to be used every day, not just when the eczema is bad. here are many products available for eczema which do some or all of these things. It’s best to chat with one of our pharmacists who can recommend the right product(s) for you or your child. Defence is the best attack, so please call in; we are happy to be your allied forces in the battle against eczema!