“They’ve talked about kids making fun of them at school because of their shaved head,” Angela McLoed said. “They said their comeback will be, ‘At least I’ve saved someone’s life.’”
Angela McLoed said her children, Tooradin youngsters Koby and Taj McLoed, had their responses ready as they anticipated being teased for having shaved heads. The kids raised more than $3500 for the Cancer Council after committing to shave their ‘iso-mullets’ in April.
“I didn’t realise that there was an invasion happening. I just thought, ‘I’m going to take these two numbnuts on.”
Cranbourne Father Russell Irwin was recognised with a Bravery Medal in March after saving a neighbour from a terrifying home invasion in February 2021. He recalled his thought process at the time, revealing there was no hesitation at the idea of putting himself in the line of fire.
“We’re (volunteers) putting in our own finances. We’ve lost sponsorships over the years and we’ve not had 20 per cent of our own income in the past couple of years. “The people who did this don’t realise the human costs of their decisions.”
Casey Comets Soccer Club President Dawn Stone was distraught after vandals damaged their facilities in February.
“If we give up, we’re giving up on everyone that lives in Devon Meadows and surrounding areas. Even Clyde, because we are a supporting brigade to these areas, we’ll be giving up on people who don’t deserve to be given up on.”
Devon Meadows Fire Brigade Captain Nathan Thorp has grown frustrated at the condition of the fire station in Devon Meadows.
“I wasn’t (aware of the extent of my injuries) and I wasn’t until the day after I went home. I went to see my GP and I handed over my list of my injuries and she said, ‘Oh my god Kelly, you’re lucky to be alive, let alone talking.’”
Casey-Cardinia Triathlon Squad member Kelly Fitzgerald reflects on the day reality dawned on her of the extent of her injuries following a horrific accident on her bike. Ms Fitzgerald suffered 20 broken bones and underwent two surgeries to her upper spine before completing a half-ironman event in October 2022, less than a year after the incident.
“As a driver, I couldn’t fire back at the guy who was shooting at me, but it doesn’t get much more personal than that. All I remember seeing was this dragon’s tongue of red tracer from this vehicle behind me engaging this guy who was engaging me and he just disappeared in this pile of dust.”
Iraq Veteran Stuart Couch recalls a frightening moment on the battlefield during his second tour when an insurgent began firing at him with an AK-47 machine gun.
“All my life, I have been able to move forward because someone has helped me. When you have the opportunity, you have to grasp it, you have to move forward yourself, but that initial leg-up is because someone has helped me.”
Botanic Ridge’s Rod Grigson reflecting on a life that took him from socialist Sri Lanka, to New York, to the Middle East during war time and now to Cranbourne, as head of the Scribe Tribe at Balla Balla Community Centre.
“Some people are parking their car where they need to be hanging around there until they need to move again, just minimising travel as much as possible. Sadly, people are used to living on a shoestring and this just adds to that.”
As the cost of living crisis continues to hit people where it hurts, Community Information and Support Cranbourne executive officer Leanne Petridis detailed the lengths that some of CISC’s clients are going to, ahead of the cut to the fuel excise in late September.
“Basketball teaches you a life lesson for 40 minutes. You can go from being frustrated, to happy, to sad, to having to make decisions and it just brings everyone together, this one game.”
15-year-old Casey Cavalier Emilija Dakic on her love for Basketball, ahead of competing in the Under 15 FIBA Oceania Basketball Tournament in November.
