Those who are still making up their minds about Harley Reid should read this.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Harley has been a divisive footballer in three seasons with West Coast Eagles in the AFL with some believing he may overdo his frustrations at times.
Other love his “don’t push me around’’ attitude.
But the Harley non-believers might change their mind after reading what he has done in Perth in recent times.
Word was out that a six-year-old palliative care cancer patient had a last wish: to meet his football hero.
Yep, you guessed it, Harley Reid.
Harley’s minders were keen to set up a video of Reid to send to the youngster named Archer.
Harley wouldn’t hear of it.
No way; he was going to meet Archer in person. Which he did, much to Archer’s surprise and delight.
They chatted for two hours.
When leaving, Harley bumped into Archer’s parents and he spent nearly another hour with them.
And he made a promise when the inevitable end comes for Archer, whenever he kicks a goal Harley will give a thumbs up sign and gaze at the heavens to think of and honour Archer.
How could anyone not like Harley.
If you don’t, try speaking to some of Kyabram’s Warramunda residents who are still talking and about how the boy from Tongala made their day and year with visits late last year.
Don’t yank our chain
Kyabram’s 150th celebrations at the Kyabram Club last week had a common theme from most of the town’s former mayors and a commissioner who were guest speakers at the birthday bash: bring back the mayoral chain to where it belongs – Kyabram.
According to state Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh, one of the guest speakers, it is in a shoe box languishing somewhere in the Campaspe Shire Council archives in Echuca.
Ex-Kyabram mayors Frank Finlay, John Neale, John Elborough, Chris Salter and Clive Toms and commissioner Doug Crow all agreed it belonged in Kyabram because it honoured all the Kyabram mayors since Henry Wood first wore it when he became the first mayor in 1954.
Doug Crow pointed out his father, Arthur, had four mentions on the chain to honour his four stints as mayor.
With nearly 200 people cheering whenever a speaker mentioned the chain’s home should be in Kyabram, deafening applause would erupt.
Kevin Andrews, who was mayor of the town in 1976 when it celebrated its 100th birthday, was the only living Kyabram ex-mayor who didn’t attend the function.
In his 90s now, Kevin was recuperating in hospital in Melbourne and was an apology.
It seems the battle to get the mayoral chain back where it belongs is obviously not going to go away anytime soon.
The 150th celebration dinner was a huge success, and Judy Nelson and John Neale were praised for their work to bring it to fruition while Judy and Peter Nelson’s son Tim won praise for his role as MC.
Assault on battery
The planned $500 million battery energy storage system to be built at Shepparton North won’t be all clear sailing.
Greater Shepparton City Council and a school near the proposed site have objected to the proposal.
It will take up to six weeks for a decision to be made on its future, with concerns about the loss of serviced agricultural land and the impact a battery incident could have on irrigation water quality and surrounding horticulture.
If the project gets the green light it is expected to create 100 jobs.
What a drag
Two men found cultivating Victoria’s largest ever tobacco crop near Toolamba recently had their day in court.
And they won’t be growing any more crops any time soon, as they have been sentenced to spend 12 years and six months in the slammer to ponder their actions.
Sounds stressful
WorkSafe injury claims in Greater Shepparton in the past financial year totalled 299.
These included 22 mental health claims, which were 7.3 per cent of the total claims.
According to WorkSafe figures, body stressing was the most common cause of injury, with 105 claims, followed by falls, slips and trips, with 77 claims.
Golden farewell
Greater Shepparton Secondary College executive principal Barbara O’Brien is retiring after 50 years in the education system.
Ms O’Brien worked her way up to the top job as a classroom teacher at Mooroopna, Tallygaroopna and Shepparton Gowrie St primary schools and as a principal at Grahamvale.
She will be on the job until January next year when she will step down.
Fighting fire with protest
The fight to retain firewood collections in the Murray Valley National Park continues, with urgent meetings being sought with the responsible NSW minister.
The NSW Government intends to end firewood collection in the park from October 30.
At a recent Edward River Council meeting, council supported a mayoral minute from Mayor Ashley Hall for the decision to be overturned.
Square Dinkum
G’day.
A bloke and his wife were getting a divorce. It was quite amicable, so they decided to split the house.
He got the outside.
Hooroo!