1 VILLAGE TALK ISSUE 6 AUTUMN 2021 A note from The Editor Dear readers, A big welcome to you, and the season of autumn! It’s time to start getting those woolly jumpers out! During the past month we celebrated International Women’s Day, a day that commemorates the social, economic and political achievements of women. As you read this edition of Village Talk, take note of the remarkable women we have here in our community. In fact, Melrose Park is home to this year’s Ryde Citizen of the Year, a Paralympian, and a Woman of the West 2020 Award winner, to name only a few. We’re lucky to have such amazing female leaders in our area and we hope you enjoy their stories. Our much-loved history section is back Local women celebrate International Women’s Day 2021. From L to R Lee Hallett, Karen Waud, Dolores Bragg, featuring fascinating photos and tales of Kim Smart, Michelle Prasad, Carmen Platt, Danielle Davis and Adriana Pielak how our area has evolved into what it is today. A big thank you to all the locals who shared their stories with us and submitted #Choosetochallenge: their own pieces to publish; it’s what makes this paper even better. Lastly, if you have a story, idea or item Local ladies celebrate you’d like to share and publish, please don’t hesitate to contact us, we’d love to hear from you. Just send us an email at International Women’s Day [email protected] children being half Fijian. and fundraise for WOWS Kids Before COVID-19 hit, the Smart family made regular trips to Fiji to visit families and kids n March, over 100 women, including local climbing until we reached capacity.” being treated for cancer, and Leigh noted female leaders and businesses attended “It just goes to show how strong our community many of the youngsters were just “like his own Ithe International Women’s Day luncheon at support is, how amazing all the women here are children”. Ryde-Parramatta Golf Club, to acknowledge and how eager we’ve all been to get out!” she “You get to know them so well and you just and celebrate the many achievements of said. want to provide anything you can for them,” women today. In supporting the Fiji Cancer Society for women he said. “It’s just so unfair that where you live Hosted by the Smarts, a local Melrose Park suffering from breast cancer, attendees donated can determine if you get treatment or not. family, the popular event raised $10,000 for their bras both old and new. The bras will act as Medication for these children is always running WOWS Kids Fiji, which supports Fijian children an incentive for Fijian women to get screened out, but to everyone who is here today, you’ve undergoing cancer treatment; and $5000 for for breast cancer as they’ll receive a free bra already taken a step to make a difference in the Fiji Cancer Society. after the screening – a move which will hopefully these children’s lives and futures.” “It’s so wonderful that women in our community boost testing numbers and help catch cases of The day celebrated the achievements of and representatives of several industries breast cancer earlier. women, and also provided tangible support to have been able to come together to celebrate “On the day we collected 100 new and 450 used make a difference in the lives of other women, and just be social, after what has been such bras,” said Kimberlie. children and families in need. a challenging year with COVID-19,” said the The efforts of those who helped bring the event organiser and event’s MC, Kimberlie Smart. “Since the event we have received another donation, 1000 new bras, from a local woman to life were acknowledged. “This was a very last-minute event that we Joanne Koo from Best’n’Less, we are so thrilled PAYCE, NSW Road Freight, Australian Trucking managed to convince our dad, Leigh, to hold with the result.” Association, Formula Chemicals, Corporate it again this year. With invitations only going Imagery and Bough and Bloom were sponsors out a week before, we thought we’d only get WOWS Kids Fiji holds a special place in the of the event. 50 people max. However, the numbers kept hearts of the Smart family, with Kimberlie’s 2 3 Melrose Park Local author Texi Smith from West becomes a ‘Heart Ryde Rovers releases new soccer Safe’ community novel – this time with a female protagonist Texi Smith with his well-known football n partnership with novel ‘ Jarrod Black - Guilty Party’ the Michael Hughes IFoundation, Melrose est Ryde Rovers is extremely lucky to have author, Texi Smith, in its “For those of you who don’t know Texi Smith (AKA Pete Smith), he is one of Park is becoming a ‘Heart ranks. In his ‘unashamed football novel’ series, Texi takes a highly our own… a West Ryde Rover, and we can’t help but be proud of what he has Safe’ community with Wentertaining look at the world of football through the eyes of the done for himself and for us in making West Ryde Rovers an internationally 5 out of the intended main character Jarrod Black. known football club – yes, his books are all over the world!” said Michelle 20 defibrillators being This time around however, Texi has got something special for the girls when Prasad, a member of the club. installed across the project. Jarrod’s sister, Anna Black, takes the lead. “There are not many football fiction writers, so Texi is definitely paving the Statistically, 80 per cent “The novel is about the journey of a local girl from a grassroots club, way to greater things and showing how Australian footballers go through of cardiac arrests occur Anna, who grows up in the shadow of her brother but goes on to make the highs and lows, whether professional or amateur,” said Michelle. “We’re all in the home and the Julie Hughes (left), Director of Michael Hughes Foundation and ‘Woman of the hanging out for what Anna Black has in store!” West’ Award Winner. Australian football team. You’ll of course, have to read the rest to find out survival rate is lower for what happens,” said Texi laughingly. After learning his real name, we couldn’t resist asking Pete where the name patients who live in high- ‘Texi’ came from. rise developments due “The Heart Safe program at Melrose Park will include free training “I’ve had to write from a woman’s point of view, which has been a challenge. to building access issues to residents on how to use a defibrillator and perform CPR, access to Luckily I have an excellent female editor who smooths the edges of some of “In the UK there’s a cartoon called Super Ted with a cowboy character called accredited first aid courses on site as well as the provision of an app which the more sensitive topics,” he said. Texas Pete. It has been falsely claimed that my legs look like I’ve been riding and elevator delays for Kevin McSweeney, Paramedic and Chair of the notifies key people when a sudden cardiac arrest has occurred. a horse and at work one day someone yelled ‘Here comes Texas Pete!’ And paramedics trying to Michael Hughes Foundation with one of the What makes Texi’s books so fun to read, especially for the community, is the since then, the name stuck. When I came to Australia and signed up for a reach patients. A cardiac many defibrillators installed in Melrose Park. The defibrillation plan will also be integrated into the building management number of references he’s included that will be familiar to locals: from the football team, Pete was all too common and so Texi it became.” arrest is defined when a emergency plan,” he explained. Rovers club to local parks and even a few characters (all lovely characters, of person is unconscious and not breathing. course!). Anna Black - This Girl Can Play is out now. Be sure to support local and Julie Hughes founded the Michael Hughes Foundation after her husband, pick up Texi’s latest book, and the other books in his series at all major book According to the Michael Hughes Foundation, the presence of defibrillators Michael Hughes, passed away from a sudden cardiac arrest at the age After all Texi’s experience in writing football match reports for the Rovers, stockists. You won’t regret it! For more information visit fairplaypublishing. installed in strategic areas around the new development will help raise the of 38. many of the games he writes about are based on the very games we see chance of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from less than 9% to down at Meadowbank Park, making the story all the more real. com.au/product-page/anna-black-this-girl-can-play. The Foundation represents many families and individuals who have more than 60-70 per cent. experienced the trauma of cardiac arrest, and their mission is to turn “Time is always of the essence when a cardiac arrest event occurs, but bystanders into first responders to help save lives. particularly so when it occurs in a high-rise development. In such an “We’re very excited to be part of this life-saving project and to give those instance, community-based intervention before emergency services arrive who may suffer a sudden cardiac arrest a better chance of survival,” said is critical,” said Julie Hughes, Executive Director of the Michael Hughes Julie.