Ramgleh Community Centre was brimming with love, support and advocacy as the Andres Pancha Anchor Community commemorated a father’s passing anniversary.
Held on Sunday, 29 June from 12pm to 3pm, the event saw friends and family of the Pancha family come together in honour of Andres’ death, but also to hear from local voices of support during APAC’s Walk the Talk Wellbeing Conference.
May it be for child and family therapy, alcohol and drug addiction support, victims’ support, to overall personal wellbeing, there were a total of 14 guest speakers that circled the open room, all eager to share their knowledge and stories.
Roughly 60 people gathered in the centre, as conversations about support, physical and mental health, and community camaraderie filled the room.
Divine Pancha, founder of APAC and wife of Andres, said that “it’s just beautiful to see here, the beauty nd power of kindness”.
“To see that you know, kindness does exist, and it is happening right through our own eyes.
“When you see everyone coming together, you see that it would not have been very impossible if it were not for the generosity and willingness of the young people that set this up – this is their work,” she said.
Jack Massey, the community inclusion manager at Abacus Learning Centre, was one of the 14 guest speakers during the event.
He spoke about the organisation, one he belonged to for over 12 years, and their work on disability services.
He elaborated on their specialty in providing early intervention support for new divergent children and their families, and when asked what his favourite part about it was, he said it was the “little things”.
“Every day I get to see a child learn a new skill for the first time, or make a friend for the first time, or an educator have success in a scenario that used to be challenging for the class, that’s what it’s all about,” he said.
For Natasha Macallister, who works as a disability inclusion primary coordinator for Brentwood Park Primary School, she is on the same page and is all about providing support for children with additional needs.
“It’s all about getting to see the kids and seeing where they’re at, and I think it’s quite special to be able to talk to families, to read assessments and to meet with allied peers,” she said.
When speaking to the different families, parents and sometimes youths that came to her table, Macallister said that she was able to look through the lens of either a child, the classroom teacher, or the parent.
Jessica Laurito, who is the addiction and alcohol nurse unit manager at St John of God Langmore Centre, was more than welcome to share her experience on working with those battling addiction, and what it means for the everyday community.
With over 17 years in the field, she said there is still glee in “being able to find a way to help out more”.
Tackling cases of addiction to easy-to-access substances such as alcohol and rugs, Laurito said that it was far too common to see those who have reached the lowest point of their lives.
“These people have lost their jobs, their families, or they’re on the brink of losing these relationships,” she said.
The biggest thing for her was being able to engage with people about the dangers of alcohol, and its “slippery slope” is integral to one’s physical and mental health.
“People can drink and have fun, that’s fine, but it’s a slippery slope when people start to use it to avoid life, to numb depression, for example,” she said.
At around 1pm, a light lunch was provided, with more guests arriving; by 2:30pm, there was a short yet powerful performance by Divine’s daughter, who sang to the crowd, serving as the official commemoration of her father.
The event finished at 3pm sharp, with the wider Pancha family readying themselves to travel to Frankston to lay a wreath at the pier, in honour of Andres and his love for fishing.
