Media Releases
Aboriginal Family Fun Day
Approximately 60 people attended an aboriginal family fun day at the Horsham library on Wednesday.
The action packed event was hosted by the Delkaia Aboriginal Best Start project.
A highlight of the day was an acknowledgment to Country by Paula Rabl, Manager of Wimmera Regional Library Services. Ms Rabl welcomed families and explained the importance of NAIDOC Week and this year’s theme “Respecting our Elders and Nurturing our Youth and Young Children”.
NAIDOC week runs from 5 to 12 July. NAIDOC stands for the National and Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee. It is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and an opportunity to recognise the contributions of Indigenous Australians.
Best Start Facilitator, Nola Illin said that the family fun day included a range of activities such as storytelling, badge making and painting. “The major focus was on encouraging kids to read and we gave away lots of free books and library bags. We even had a microphone where children had an opportunity to come forward and read to the audience” she said.
Entertainment was provided by local clown Wayne Lentsment, who greeted children, parents and Elders with a groovy hand puppet as a further way of encouraging the library as a place for the whole community.
Local freelance photographer Melissa Powell was present to take photos of children which will be used to promote libraries across the region.
The Wimmera Primary Care Partnership contributed to the day by providing oral health information, free water bottles and a range information for parents. They also produced a poster featuring local families from last year’s celebrations.
Ms Illin acknowledged support from Delkaia partnership organisations involved in organising the day including: Wimmera Health Care Group, Barengi Gadjin Land Council, Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative, Wimmera Primary Care Partnership, Horsham North Primary School and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Ms Illin also thanked Wimmera Regional Library Service staff for hosting the day and Horsham’s Fig Tree Café and Wimmera Health Care Group’s Food Services Department for providing lunch and fruit platters.