International Women's Day Celebrations

By Shanelle Schick

Saturday 11th March saw the first joint International Women’s Day Event held with The Hub Capricorn Coast collaborating with Coastal Kinesiology to bring an event that celebrated and recognised local women in the community

45 women attended the event which was held at Stir and Stitch, an idyllic setting to mingle, network and to celebrate the talents of local women and the contribution they are making. Amanda and her team at Stir and Stitch did a fabulous job of keeping the rain away and serving up delicious food for the guests in attendance.

During the afternoon, women were recognised in 3 categories – Community Spirit, Rookie Business and Mentor. A decision was made during the process of organising the event to remove the title of having a winner for each category as being in small business is challenging enough Instead, each of the nominees were recognised and celebrated for their strengths and contributions in each category

Organisers Shanelle Schick from The Hub Capricorn Coast and Katie Crews from Coastal Kinesiology were very pleased with how the event turned out. They are looking to collaborate to organise future networking events to help support women in small business on the Capricorn Coast If you are interested in hearing about future events or wish to be part of the planning committee, please reach out to either Shanelle or Katie to register your interest.

Thank you to our gift bag contributors

DoyouknowaLocalLegendwho deservesrecognitioninhonour oftheircontributiontoourcommunity?

Someonewhoconstantlygoesabove& beyondtomakeadifference?

Ifso,nominatethemtobefeaturedasour monthlyLocalLegend!

Eachmonth,wewillintroduceyoutooneof LocalLegends plusgiftthemwithacoffeeandcakevoucher toacknowledgetheir dedication&commitmenttomakingtheCapricornCoast anawesomeplacetobe!

How long have you been part of the emergency services and in what year did you start.?

I joined, what was then the Queensland Fire Service, in 1997 and I am now a Lieutenant. In 2006 I also became a Fire Communications Officer, so I now take the Triple Zero (000) calls as well as respond to emergencies in the Fire Truck

What inspired you to join the services?

I had a friend who was also an Auxiliary Firefighter and he introduced me to a Station Officer who was working in Yeppoon at the time They both mentioned that I should think about joining. At the time I had no idea of what the job was all about, so they explained it all to me and I thought I’d give it a go. Until then it was not something that had even occurred to me that I could do

What has been your greatest high lights of the job?

The people. Meeting and working alongside some amazing people, many of whom I now consider lifelong friends and family Having the opportunity to help so many people in my community is very rewarding. I’ve also learnt so many different skills and a lot about myself in the process. I’m so glad it’s been a part of my life for so long, I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t become a Firefighter over 25 years ago.

What advice can you share to other women looking to join the fire service?

If it’s something you want to do, go for it and don’t let anything stand in your way Whether it’s a permanent career or part time, come and have a chat to any of our crew, we can help set you on the right path to achieving your goals Even if fighting fires is not your thing, there as so many roles available within QFES, and we all work together to keep our communities safe