There is rarely a dull moment in the lives of central Victorians and 2016 proved to be no different. Mark Kearney lists his top five yarns from the past year, a time of triumph for some and tragedy for others. But at the heart of all these stories are ordinary people taking on extraordinary tasks.
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1. Ella’s Swish new table
Ella Edwards is surely one of the city’s most joyous, resilient people.
Despite being born with optic nerve hypoplasia, leaving her completely blind, the condition has done nothing to hamper the 12-year-old’s exuberant spirit.
That joie de vivre was in full force when Bendigo Men’s Shed volunteers delivered her a new Swish table to St Monica’s School in May. A vision-impaired version of table tennis, the racquet sport gives Ella a leg up on her playground competition. Just watch the video for proof. Read the story here.
2. The club that said ‘I do’ to marriage equality
When Matt Keane launched An Equal Footing – a shoelace sale to raise awareness for same-sex marriage – he changed his small town’s attitude towards equality.
And when the Wycheproof football team took to the field wearing the rainbow accessories, they gave Matt the acceptance he was denied a decade before.
This homecoming story speaks to a basic desire shared by all people: to have the freedom to be who you are and to be loved because of it. Find all the details here.
3. Breastfeeding mums march on marketplace
Hell hath no fury like a breastfeeding mother scorned.
After a young mum was told to leave the Bendigo Marketplace for nursing her son, a band of deservedly outraged mothers converged on the shopping centre, occupying the food court in a defiant show of feeding pride.
Images of the Boobs for Babies event went around the world and the message was clear: breastfeeding in public is a choice women have the right to make. Read the full story here.
4. ‘Help us’: SES calls for support
It is astounding that SES volunteers, who leave behind their families to save the lives of car crash victims, must raise half of the funds needed to keep their stations open.
In April, the Bendigo Advertiser watched as the orange-clad rescue workers pulled mannequins from crashed cars and out from under buses during a routine training exercise.
Governments must throw more support behind these life-saving emergency service members. Read the story here.
5. Bird burglar to blame for grave robbery
A bird nest falling out of a tree doesn’t sound like top five material, but few nests are like the one found inside a Bendigo cemetery this year.
The avian home was a treasure trove of metallic objects pilfered from the grave sites inside the remembrance park.
The Bendigo Advertiser story was able to reunite one grieving family with decorations they placed just months earlier on the grave of their stillborn son. Read the stories here.
Mark Kearney
Journalist. Traveller. Pop culture connoisseur. Mark is passionate about education, the arts and social justice, especially stories affecting the LGBTI community.
Journalist. Traveller. Pop culture connoisseur. Mark is passionate about education, the arts and social justice, especially stories affecting the LGBTI community.
