On Monday 25 October 2021, we launched our second release of our Seniors Stories. Seniors Stories is a compilation of over 100 stories written by our senior clients within the Queensland Community.
Our Queensland team held a special book launch to celebrate everyone who contributed in creating this beautiful collection of stories.
We have had many incredible stories this year, but some of the highlights include:
Dexter Kruger’s Story provided by Janet Rowlings: Australia’s oldest man that passed away in July this year aged 111 years 188 days old. Dexter dedicated his life to hard work and community service. Dexter lived through drought, fire, flood, two world wars, the great depression of 16 years or more, the Spanish flu of 1919 and coronavirus 2019-2021. As well as the great influx of migrants, mainly from Italy and Greece, which changed the Australian demographic from White Australia to a Multicultural Society.
Everald Compton Story: Everald’s drive for change and dedication to community service has placed him as one of the few Australian’s to have received the Order of Australia honour twice. Everald is the author of ‘The Man on the Twenty Dollar Notes’ a book about John Flynn the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and his remarkable life. (MP Shayne Neumann wrote a message in this year’s book giving a special tribute to Everald and the amazing work he has done in the community)
Bessie Conomos’s Story: an inspiring centenarian who at the age of 87, was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of her service to the Greek Community in Brisbane, including through organisations which provide assistance to the elderly.
Gordon Jamieson’s Story: who is 100 years old and one of the last surviving Queenslanders who labored on the infamous Thai Burma railway during World War II and was a war prisoner.
Glen Smith’s Story: Ipswich’s 2021 Citizen of the Year. A man who has dedicated his life to helping others, his community spirit runs deep as he has shown time and time again through the support of local charities.
To read more about these stories, click here to view the PDF version of our 2021 Seniors Stories.
Able Australia are so grateful for the outstanding efforts of every author who contributed to this year’s collection of Senior Stories. Thank you to all those people who change the lives of others by living as an example and empowering others to do the same. We would also like to acknowledge the efforts of family, friends and carers who helped loved ones capture their story and put it into words. For those that may not have been able to do it themselves you have allowed their story to be told.
A huge thank you to the Senior Stories book editor, and Able Australia’s Queensland Community Project Manager, Jessy Byrnes, for her hard work in putting this beautiful book together and sharing the amazing stories of our clients.
Below are some images of the Seniors Stories book, and photos from the book launch event.
