Parliamentary Praise For Hawthorn Heroes
It was a joy to take a moment in this sunny week in Parliament to celebrate some of Hawthorn’s wonderful constituents.
Even in the most challenging times, as the COVID winter behind us has certainly been, I am constantly amazed by the selflessness and generosity shown by many of my constituents – whom I like to dub the Hawthorn Heroes.
People like Ricky Kuruppu.
Armed with his typewriter, he has been leaving tiny pieces of paper around the area with grabs of his poetry and uplifting messages of support, with the purpose of trying to inject some positivity into the world.
During the pandemic, people who found these notes, expressed the joy it brought to their day while giving them a sense of optimism in trying times. You can find some of his inspiring work here.
Then there is early childhood educator, Lucille Kent from Hawthorn Early Years.
During the pandemic, Lucy wanted to do something special for her colleagues to show them that they are appreciated and to promote positive mental health. So, she created wellness packs for fellow childhood educators, who as we know, can often be the unsung heroes in the community, but whose work is vital.
In Lucy’s words, one of her goals is to connect further with the wider community, something she believes is important, that we are all aware of the world around us – offering our support and kindness where we can. You can read about her initiative here.
And finally, there is Year 11 Scotch College student, Ben Garson – a conscientious young man who recently won the Victorian Parliamentary Prize for his 90-second members statement, which might just be even better than this one. His inspiring speech can be found here.
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