[Applause]
the purpose of life is not to be happy
is to be useful to be honorable to be
compassionate to have it make some
difference that you have lived and lived
well I lived on Murray Street Cannes
North Queensland Australia a street and
area marred by strongly held negative
perception a street when I give my
address to the taxi driver he would
screw up his face and say Murray Street
a street that bus drivers used to avoid
a street that people say don’t live in
don’t walk down at night just don’t well
we were told more than once not to buy
in the ghetto to stay away from the west
side but the thing is I just really
loved where we lived I mean it’s close
to the city great parks and my sister
was a hop and skip away it was never as
bad as people made out and how would
they know anyway they didn’t live there
my life was normal
uneventful as in Groundhog Day a series
of events on repeat every morning I’d
pull out of the drive at 8:20 I’d close
my date and I’d wave to my sister who
was closing her gate and then again in
the afternoon I’d pull into the drive at
5:20 open my day
and again wave to my sister who was
opening her gate when I reflect on what
my life he used to be like the song
little boxes by Peter Seeger comes to
mind identical houses identical routines
no connection mindless instead of
mindful living
security in my little box they say one
door closes another will open a social
worker by trade and at the mercy of the
newly elected government I was one of
the stats I was made redundant my door
had shut my identity my self value gone
December 19 2014
I received a panicked call from my
friend in Sydney where are your children
where are your children where are your
children oh my god can you see them can
you see them are they okay
a horrific tragedy involving the loss of
local children it’s a date and an event
itched in all of our hearts all with
different memories of what we were doing
of how we found out yet all united in
grief and disbelief
according to Tim Moore an expert in
placemaking
a child’s well-being is affected by
their perception of their neighbourhood
so what Tim Moore is saying is the
neighbourhood that is generally
characterized by community neglect like
my community minora negatively affects a
child’s outcome over and above that of
their family socioeconomic status so
here we were as a community dealing with
these negative perceptions for decades
and for decades these negative
perceptions have been holding back our
children our leaders of tomorrow from
reaching their potential and now and now
we had to deal with the tragedy I wasn’t
sure how we would get past it how would
we cope so nearly unemployed
feeling dejected despondent and
disconnected from my community I decided
to use my social work skills knowledge
connection and passion to help rebuild
my community I decided to step out of my
little box to look beyond my Groundhog
Day existence I decided to open a new
door because I believe you reap what you
sow so our lives our community are like
a garden and like a garden
they don’t come readily made you have to
grow them they require hard work elbow
grease roll up the sleeves approach they
require planning patience nutrients
water they require love committed and
invested to harvest positive change in
our community
a handful of residents banded together
and the manure community garden seed was
planted once an unused parcel of land in
the locally known back streets of Cannes
unutilized an untapped potential just
sitting there gorgeous mature trees that
provide cooling shades from the warm
tropical Sun it was ripe with
possibility my community is a community
that ranks in the 4th percentile
nationally for social disadvantage a
community suspicious of any government
intervention a community spurred out of
its boxes by tragedy and two years on
we’re a community that has begin to
sprout flourish growing in numbers
strength and firm friendships
through positive action we have created
40 garden beds we have planted seven
varieties of chili I mean come on how
hot is that tropical delights mango
avocado passion fruit and dragon fruit
Island staples cassava taro Abeka
eggplant pumpkin and the classics of
citrus tomato mulberry pawpaw and so
much more more did the garden build
itself no one neighbor at a time we
started to check in with one another we
started to weave the fabric of our
community into something stronger we
started to believe the soil of our
foundation had been turned and so we
began changing the perception of our
reality get involved it’s easy we have a
range of roles
no matter your skill set your time or
your interest there’s always something
you can contribute take me for example
I’m extremely poor in daylight hours
I’ve recently gained a day job I have
two small children and a husband who
works away for half the year but I have
evenings that allow me to contribute so
I’m not out there swinging a shovel and
planting produce but I’m planting money
trees writing funding applications
vision ideas when I stop and reflect on
the fruits of our labor
I can see beyond the fresh and tasty
produce connected outside the typical
circle the identification and
development of community leaders an
increased sense of pride ownership
stewardship accomplishment
yes these fruits have been bountiful so
the courage to step outside my little
box
well this courage has the auditor
harvest of unintended outcomes I could
never have imagined I feel connected to
my community like no other
I can’t articulate to you what that
connection feels like and what it means
out of the work force for over three
years the garden fruited the job of my
dreams and touchingly my neighbors my
community they cheered me on
my success was our success we had become
a village invested in one another I’d
like to introduce you to John Galt son
John has been a fixture of Murray Street
for the past 20 years
his affectionately referred to as the
mayor of Murray Street and for very good
reason he knows everybody and everybody
knows John g’day John how’s it going
mate now the pride that John feels about
our garden is palpable he walks taller
he wakes each day with purpose and he
has carefully collected every news
clipping and sent them to relatives near
and far and offer a pat on the back in a
good job mate John is the very essence
and backbone of our garden he is growing
hope and optimism that things are
changing and then there’s Andre John’s
honorary garden son now Andres always
had an interest in sustainable living
however renting he’s never had an
opportunity to get in and get his hands
dirty when Andre said he first
discovered the garden he became obsessed
he said I feel like I found my purpose I
cannot describe the pride and
satisfaction I feel from building
planting out and harvesting a bed of
great food let alone eat it we’ve come
along
since the first turning of the soil
we’ve got relationships with our
neighboring schools and organizations
we’ve celebrated with community
gatherings in the garden and we’ve
raised funds but most importantly and
most fortunately we have found ourselves
an absolute legend we have found
ourselves a garden champion a gardening
icon the hairy host the king of compost
kosta now Casta ignited hope and
excitement into the hearts of the ninety
smiling faces that attended our garden
opening and he passionately preached
inclusion is community and he spoke
about the garden as a structure to grow
a lot more than produce he said if we
share the recipes then we share the
health and fusion and we need to infuse
health on all levels mentally physically
and emotionally from one harvest to one
casual afternoon ngata
to one fruiting tree the hum of
positivity is undeniable through shared
experiences we are weaving an emotional
yarn in much stronger than any
individual box we previously felt safe
in so get involved expand your network
meet people you would ordinarily never
have an opportunity to me grow your
sense of belonging connect through
people and place through shared
experiences remember your perception is
your reality
well they say gardening is good for the
soul and we have certainly found at the
manure community garden it to be good
for the whole one seed one plant at a
time we have living proof that
communities are resilient
there is growth after tragedy there is
hope now all my Emerson said the purpose
of life is not to be happy well I have
found that by living honorably by living
with compassion that happiness blooms we
used to garden what will you use to
reinvigorate your community
[Applause]
you
the purpose of life is not to be happy
is to be useful to be honorable to be
compassionate to have it make some
difference that you have lived and lived
well I lived on Murray Street Cannes
North Queensland Australia a street and
area marred by strongly held negative
perception a street when I give my
address to the taxi driver he would
screw up his face and say Murray Street
a street that bus drivers used to avoid
a street that people say don’t live in
don’t walk down at night just don’t well
we were told more than once not to buy
in the ghetto to stay away from the west
side but the thing is I just really
loved where we lived I mean it’s close
to the city great parks and my sister
was a hop and skip away it was never as
bad as people made out and how would
they know anyway they didn’t live there
my life was normal
uneventful as in Groundhog Day a series
of events on repeat every morning I’d
pull out of the drive at 8:20 I’d close
my date and I’d wave to my sister who
was closing her gate and then again in
the afternoon I’d pull into the drive at
5:20 open my day
and again wave to my sister who was
opening her gate when I reflect on what
my life he used to be like the song
little boxes by Peter Seeger comes to
mind identical houses identical routines
no connection mindless instead of
mindful living
security in my little box they say one
door closes another will open a social
worker by trade and at the mercy of the
newly elected government I was one of
the stats I was made redundant my door
had shut my identity my self value gone
December 19 2014
I received a panicked call from my
friend in Sydney where are your children
where are your children where are your
children oh my god can you see them can
you see them are they okay
a horrific tragedy involving the loss of
local children it’s a date and an event
itched in all of our hearts all with
different memories of what we were doing
of how we found out yet all united in
grief and disbelief
according to Tim Moore an expert in
placemaking
a child’s well-being is affected by
their perception of their neighbourhood
so what Tim Moore is saying is the
neighbourhood that is generally
characterized by community neglect like
my community minora negatively affects a
child’s outcome over and above that of
their family socioeconomic status so
here we were as a community dealing with
these negative perceptions for decades
and for decades these negative
perceptions have been holding back our
children our leaders of tomorrow from
reaching their potential and now and now
we had to deal with the tragedy I wasn’t
sure how we would get past it how would
we cope so nearly unemployed
feeling dejected despondent and
disconnected from my community I decided
to use my social work skills knowledge
connection and passion to help rebuild
my community I decided to step out of my
little box to look beyond my Groundhog
Day existence I decided to open a new
door because I believe you reap what you
sow so our lives our community are like
a garden and like a garden
they don’t come readily made you have to
grow them they require hard work elbow
grease roll up the sleeves approach they
require planning patience nutrients
water they require love committed and
invested to harvest positive change in
our community
a handful of residents banded together
and the manure community garden seed was
planted once an unused parcel of land in
the locally known back streets of Cannes
unutilized an untapped potential just
sitting there gorgeous mature trees that
provide cooling shades from the warm
tropical Sun it was ripe with
possibility my community is a community
that ranks in the 4th percentile
nationally for social disadvantage a
community suspicious of any government
intervention a community spurred out of
its boxes by tragedy and two years on
we’re a community that has begin to
sprout flourish growing in numbers
strength and firm friendships
through positive action we have created
40 garden beds we have planted seven
varieties of chili I mean come on how
hot is that tropical delights mango
avocado passion fruit and dragon fruit
Island staples cassava taro Abeka
eggplant pumpkin and the classics of
citrus tomato mulberry pawpaw and so
much more more did the garden build
itself no one neighbor at a time we
started to check in with one another we
started to weave the fabric of our
community into something stronger we
started to believe the soil of our
foundation had been turned and so we
began changing the perception of our
reality get involved it’s easy we have a
range of roles
no matter your skill set your time or
your interest there’s always something
you can contribute take me for example
I’m extremely poor in daylight hours
I’ve recently gained a day job I have
two small children and a husband who
works away for half the year but I have
evenings that allow me to contribute so
I’m not out there swinging a shovel and
planting produce but I’m planting money
trees writing funding applications
vision ideas when I stop and reflect on
the fruits of our labor
I can see beyond the fresh and tasty
produce connected outside the typical
circle the identification and
development of community leaders an
increased sense of pride ownership
stewardship accomplishment
yes these fruits have been bountiful so
the courage to step outside my little
box
well this courage has the auditor
harvest of unintended outcomes I could
never have imagined I feel connected to
my community like no other
I can’t articulate to you what that
connection feels like and what it means
out of the work force for over three
years the garden fruited the job of my
dreams and touchingly my neighbors my
community they cheered me on
my success was our success we had become
a village invested in one another I’d
like to introduce you to John Galt son
John has been a fixture of Murray Street
for the past 20 years
his affectionately referred to as the
mayor of Murray Street and for very good
reason he knows everybody and everybody
knows John g’day John how’s it going
mate now the pride that John feels about
our garden is palpable he walks taller
he wakes each day with purpose and he
has carefully collected every news
clipping and sent them to relatives near
and far and offer a pat on the back in a
good job mate John is the very essence
and backbone of our garden he is growing
hope and optimism that things are
changing and then there’s Andre John’s
honorary garden son now Andres always
had an interest in sustainable living
however renting he’s never had an
opportunity to get in and get his hands
dirty when Andre said he first
discovered the garden he became obsessed
he said I feel like I found my purpose I
cannot describe the pride and
satisfaction I feel from building
planting out and harvesting a bed of
great food let alone eat it we’ve come
along
since the first turning of the soil
we’ve got relationships with our
neighboring schools and organizations
we’ve celebrated with community
gatherings in the garden and we’ve
raised funds but most importantly and
most fortunately we have found ourselves
an absolute legend we have found
ourselves a garden champion a gardening
icon the hairy host the king of compost
kosta now Casta ignited hope and
excitement into the hearts of the ninety
smiling faces that attended our garden
opening and he passionately preached
inclusion is community and he spoke
about the garden as a structure to grow
a lot more than produce he said if we
share the recipes then we share the
health and fusion and we need to infuse
health on all levels mentally physically
and emotionally from one harvest to one
casual afternoon ngata
to one fruiting tree the hum of
positivity is undeniable through shared
experiences we are weaving an emotional
yarn in much stronger than any
individual box we previously felt safe
in so get involved expand your network
meet people you would ordinarily never
have an opportunity to me grow your
sense of belonging connect through
people and place through shared
experiences remember your perception is
your reality
well they say gardening is good for the
soul and we have certainly found at the
manure community garden it to be good
for the whole one seed one plant at a
time we have living proof that
communities are resilient
there is growth after tragedy there is
hope now all my Emerson said the purpose
of life is not to be happy well I have
found that by living honorably by living
with compassion that happiness blooms we
used to garden what will you use to
reinvigorate your community
[Applause]
you
Please follow and like us: