Celebrating cultural diversity
Each year the Cobram Community House celebrates Cultural Diversity Week in acknowledgement of people who have travelled from countries around the world to make their homes in the district. Many of these new residents joined in a range of activities last week in celebration of each cultures’ uniqueness and the life they enjoy in Cobram today.
Last Friday, the day commenced with a Sri Lankan cooking class with husband and wife team, Chalani and Lahiru Fernando. The couple came to live in Australia eight years ago after Lahiru was offered an opportunity to share his cricketing talents with the Tocumwal Cricket Club when sponsored by the club to play several seasons with them as a classy allrounder.
The Sri Lankan, his wife and two daughters have embraced the Australian lifestyle and today live in Cobram where Chalani, a qualified chef, operates her Hot and Sweet catering business showcasing the best of Sri Lankan cuisine, while Lahiru works full time in Strathmerton and assists Chalani when time permits.
The delightful couple provided lots of fun and laughter during the cooking class and attendees gained new skills to try out on their families.
During the afternoon, a sumptuous array of delicious food provided by the Fernandos and fantastic volunteers at the Cobram Community House was the catalyst for everyone to totally enjoy the diversity of living in a welcoming multicultural country town.
Footnote: Hot and Sweet catering is available throughout the week and Chalani and Lahiru take their delicious specialities to markets throughout the district. Chalani also specialises in creating cakes for any occasion which need to be seen and tasted to really appreciate.
Pet Stock draws a large crowd on pet adoption day
There were animal lovers and dogs and cats in abundance at Pet Stock Cobram on Saturday.
Firstly, young children and their mums and dads arrived with their young pups ready to gain knowledge. They were there for puppies school, which also included socialising and they certainly had plenty of that.
Then it was time to meet the cats and dogs ready for adoption and currently under the care of Steph Sparrow at the Goulburn Valley Pet Adoption and Rehoming Centre.
Just two young puppies were available and they delighted young children and ‘oldies’ alike with their cuteness. Several applications were received in particular for a popular boy, ‘Potato’, a 12-week-old Staffy X, and no doubt fingers have been crossed to see who is to be the lucky family.
Applications were also received for several of the beautiful moggies on show and who look forward eagerly to going to their new homes. Great news.
Operating a centre for adoption and rehoming comes with quite a degree of responsibility, for many of the animals have not had the best start in life and their next step needs to be with the right family.
St Joseph’s fete a wonderful success
It seems if you ask the right question of the right people, then anything is possible.
Angelo Siciliano and Dean Harris of St Joseph’s Parish posed this question after the annual school fete had undergone a hiatus of three years, “what do we have to do to get the school fete going again?’’
Immediately Liz Strong stepped up, spoke with the original group of people to form a committee and last Saturday it was obvious, the committee and school community had put together a bumper day for everyone to enjoy, just 12 months later.
“It has been fantastic and numbers were definitely up on previous years. So many people have given generously to help the school, with amazing donations of superb local home-cooked food which people love to eat under the marquee or choose to take home for the family that night, amazing local produce, plus 70 prizes were donated for the big attraction, a spinning wheel,” said principal Sarah Iddles.
“Considering everyone has had a difficult time over the past three years, particularly those in business, this is absolutely amazing and a tribute to our school community,” she said.
There were lots of fun activities for the kids including performances from each year level of a song and dance act, with hundreds of cheering fans, a jumping castle, archery, go-karts and much more.
In some instances there were three generations of one family who had attended the school, grandma/grandpa, mum and dad and grandchildren who had all worn the St Joseph’s colours. It was a day that brought back memories of their time so many years earlier.
Well done to everyone at St Joseph’s Parish School community.
Cobram Genealogy Group celebrates its 40th birthday
While admittedly it may be small in number, the Cobram Genealogy Group has been relatively dynamic over the years for while technology has developed, so too have members’ skills to uncover the intrigue offered when researching one’s family history.
On Sunday the group celebrated 40 years since its formation in March 1983 and today holds bi-monthly meetings in the original primary school building on Punt Rd, Cobram.
President is Jan Parker and secretary/treasurer Liz Diamond and group members showcase a rare enthusiasm for always wanting to learn more.
“You don’t know what you don’t know, that’s the benefit of being in a group, for somebody else may have uncovered what you have missed previously,” said Gloria Primmer, a founding member of the group together with Maree Hogan.
Group members were invited to discuss what they believed were their greatest achievements since joining the group and the following represent some of their responses.
“On a trip to Tasmania to look up our family history, we discovered there had been a child born in the family who was later murdered. The woman responsible was hung, drawn and quartered while the birth was never reported.”
“I think our biggest achievement was putting together the first copy of In The Days of the Punt and the friendships we have made over the years.”
“Learning about my great, great-grandfather at Corowa at the time of federation and discovering that two of my relatives jumped ship when they arrived in Australia.”
“Tracking down my family to complete the family tree and finding that unknown to other family members my great-grandfather had four different families.”
Everyone had a story and yet there are so many intriguing mysteries yet to be found. This is what keeps members of the group involved, the potential to discover something new.