2008 SA Women's Honour Roll
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Paying tribute to inspirational women in our community 2008 SOUTHAUSTRALIAN [women’s honour roll] SOUTHAUSTRALIAN [women’s honour roll] 2008 Paying tribute to inspirational women in our community A message from the Hon Jennifer Rankine MP Minister for the Status of Women Congratulations to all the inspiring We are privileged to have so many women who have been nominated remarkable and talented women for the 2008 South Australian in South Australia. Women’s Honour Roll. Recognising their achievements in this Honour Roll provides just a glimpse into the energy, passion and commitment of these women, and many of them are from the Hon Jennifer Rankine MP ranks of South Australia’s strong Minister for State/ and proud volunteer community. Local Government Relations All the women honoured on this Minister for the Status of Women Minister for Volunteers roll have been nominated for their Minister for Consumer Affairs outstanding performance and Minister Assisting in Early Childhood achievements in championing Development diversity, leading the community towards respect and responsibility and exploring new directions through innovation. 1 2008 south australian woman of the year Solveiga Greaves Solveiga has SOLVEIGA GREAVES IS CO-DIRECTOR AT MARRA DREAMING, AN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY ORGANISATION LOCATED AT “a wonderful SALISBURY. MARRA MURRANGGA KUMANGKA MEANS heart and ‘HANDSWORKINGTOGETHER’INTHEKAURNALANGUAGE. Born in Latvia, Solveiga came to Australia in 1949. After completing her training great in Nursing and Midwifery in 1967 she elected to work in the Northern Territory at Hermannsburg for six years. Not daunted by life in the remote outback, Solveiga understanding then spent over ten years with the TAFE Mobile Unit teaching in the Anangu- Pitjantjatjara Lands, Ceduna, Point Pearce, Raukkan, Gerrard, Neppabunna and of Aboriginal Baroota Alcohol Rehabilitation Farm. In the late 1980s Solveiga returned to Adelaide and took up a position people. lecturing at the Salisbury TAFE. Closure of the TAFE in 1998 saw her bring together a group of women to meet once a week in the local church hall, paying Mona Olsson ” $2 a week for phone and electricity, to set up a supportive organisation for Aboriginal Elder Aboriginal people. Marra Dreaming was established a year later with funding received from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission. Solveiga has a great affinity with the Aboriginal community through her deep understanding and acknowledgment of issues of dispossession and stolen identity. Her vision of assisting people to become empowered through the provision of appropriate educational programs has led to the success of Marra Dreaming within the community. Solveiga’s role in the organisation also involves many volunteer hours in securing funding for the ongoing existence of Marra Dreaming and in creating a safe and supported environment for Aboriginal people. The organisation provides a wide range of educational programs and workshops including business administration, driver education, mural painting, basket weaving, and silk painting. A wide range of contemporary Aboriginal art is produced and sold as a result of these programs. Summing up Solveiga’s passion and leadership qualities, one of her co-workers described her as ‘the main driver of the bus - with all the rest of us all like happy dogs with our heads hanging out the windows, eyes wide and ears blowing back because we’re being driven along at such a wonderful fast pace!’ 2 SOUTHAUSTRALIAN 2008 finalists [women’s honour roll] Beverly Blacklock Michelle Cockshell Daniela Costa Beverley is committed to community Michelle works tirelessly in her role Daniela has provided outstanding involvement through her generosity as secretary of the fundraising leadership and advocacy in the field of spirit and a belief that fortune activities of the Gawler Chapter of of women’s health since the 1980s. should be shared. As owner of the Operation Flinders. Operation Currently employed as a Medical Nomanville Hotel she ensures that Flinders Foundation is a South Practitioner at Women’s Health the local community come together Australian based charitable Statewide she has provided an in times of celebration and hardship. organisation that runs a wilderness ongoing women’s clinic with a focus Despite personal hardships she has adventure program for young on migrant women’s health. Since a strong sense of social offenders and young people at risk. 1994 Daniela has also held the responsibility and has always The program takes participants position of Visiting Medical opened her business to anyone in between the age of 14 and 18 years Practitioner at the Migrant Health need. A strong supporter of Alanon on an eight day exercise in the far Service and has initiated health [support for families of alcoholics] northern Flinders Ranges, providing clinics for women at Northfield and Alateen [support for children of an opportunity for participants to Prison, women in the workforce and alcoholics], Red Cross and Royal break away from their past and grow recently arrived women. Daniela is Flying Doctor Service, Beverley has as valued members of the active as a volunteer in the Italian inspired many people in the community. Each year Michelle community as a member of the community that she has met, works behind the scenes to organise Multicultural Communities Council worked with, or befriended. a dinner which raises between since 2000 and as an elected $25,000 and $30,000 for the Gawler member on the General Council of Chapter of Operation Flinders. Italians Abroad. Michelle is described by her peers as a dedicated, hardworking and passionate person. 3 Rhonda Dadleh Ivy Kathleen Freeman OAM Vicki Lachlan and Rhonda is an Arrabunna woman Ivy has contributed countless hours Karen Burnes from Marree [Finnis Springs]. Whilst of work to the Tumby Bay Vicki and Karen both demonstrate caring for her nine children Rhonda community. She has been active in an outstanding commitment to became one of the first qualified local government and also in a high-need families and survivors South Australian Aboriginal early diverse range of community of domestic violence in the role of childhood educators. Since organisations including the Country Executive Director and Chair at The graduating in the mid 1980s she has Women’s Association, National Trust, Women’s Housing Association. Vicki been the Director of the Flinders Women’s Agriculture Bureau and has been involved in the women’s Children’s Centre in Port Augusta Business SA, Arts Council, Bowling housing sector since the 1980s and and also worked at the Port Augusta Club and the Royal District Nursing as Executive Director of The Hospital teaching new staff about Association. From 1949 she drove Women’s Housing Association for providing appropriate support her own vehicle as a school bus for the past thirteen years. She is a systems for the Aboriginal eight and a half years, transporting fierce advocate for women and is the community. Rhonda shares her her own children as well as her South Australian voice for women’s knowledge in local schools teaching neighbour’s children. Ivy still often domestic violence services to about loss and grief in Aboriginal travels overnight for 600 km by bus the Commonwealth in her role on families and communities; and is to Adelaide to attend meetings. At the Women’s Services Network actively involved in the Nana’s group the age of 88 years, she has not let and Homelessness Australia. at the Augusta Park Primary School. her age halt her busy schedule and Karen has been actively involved Now retired, Rhonda concentrates still manages a 7000 acre farming in women’s housing over many on her twenty eight grandchildren and grazing property with her son years, previously with the but remains a strong advocate for and grandson. Ivy is considered the Community Housing Council early childhood education and local historian in the Tumby Bay of South Australia and now with assists mothers in the area to region as she has collected The Women’s Housing Association access community services. newspaper clippings and historical as Chair. She has held this position records of the town for many years. for over four years and works closely with Vicki in establishing safe and appropriate housing for women and children escaping domestic violence situations. 4 SOUTHAUSTRALIAN [women’s honour roll] Katherine Leane Julie Menadue Jodi Russack Katherine was diagnosed as being A survivor of breast cancer, Julie’s Jodi has a passionate commitment HIV positive over twenty years ago. experience has led her to assist to engage and empower young Since that time she has provided others whose lives have been people to connect with the leadership, strength and inspiration touched by the disease. She community in the Yorke Peninsula to other HIV positive women in the facilitates Look Good, Feel Better region in her role as Youth community and taken on a key role workshops for cancer patients in Development Officer. She has in the development of national local hospitals and is actively initiated and facilitated a large support and advocacy networks for involved in the SA Dragons Abreast number of youth events including HIV positive women across Australia. Boat Club. Besides providing crucial the All You Can Eat Youth Arts & Despite the many personal support for those who have been Culture Festival, an aerosol art challenges and hardships that she affected by cancer, participating in workshop for local young people has had to overcome and continues Dragons Abreast assists women in and National Youth Week. Jodi is to face, Katherine demonstrates a their rehabilitation after surgery. also proactive as an advocate for selflessness and dedication to Julie is also an active volunteer in the young people at local council support others who live with the City of Playford where she has been meetings and in organising stigma of HIV/AIDS. She has a a peer educator in the Community successful workshops for high resilience and commitment to social Foodie program for three years.