It is great to see the local Koori community be proactive when it comes improving the health and well-being of its own, young and old.
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Too often, the Aboriginal community is blamed for not doing enough to close the gap, but stories in today’s Narooma News seem to disprove this.
Merrimans Local Aboriginal Land Council chairman Ken Campbell is leading the charge against the opening of another liquor outlet at the Bermagui Woolworths. He is pictured at left with Barry Parsons Jr, Nicholas Hoskins, Yurruanna Foster and Ruby Foster.
Mr Campbell is concerned the licence will unnecessarily expose youth to alcohol.
“There’s enough already; you take your kid there to go shopping, not to buy grog,” he said. “The grog there will be cheaper, so will the smokes, which will attract the kids.”
Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Community & Medical Services and its Indigenous staff continue to lead the way and, together with IRT, will co-design and pilot a culturally-sensitive home care service in the Eurobodalla for the aging Koori population.
Another positive story is the coming together of the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community in the Indigenous Round of Group 16 Rugby League.
The Ngaardi women’s group and Red Cross meanwhile have again united to offer fun activities for the Indigenous youth of Wallaga Lake Koori Village and Narooma.
Youth worker at the Narooma branch of the Red Cross, Ally McQueen said the two-day program included a family fun day at the Koori village community hall on Tuesday, including music and games.
Then on Thursday, the kids were bussed into Narooma to see Cars 3 at the Narooma Kinema and have a play and sausage sizzle lunch at Rotary Park, prepared by Katungul and the PCYC.
These holidays there have been about 25 kids involved, mostly from Wallaga Lake, but also Narooma.
The Ngaardi women’s group and the Red Cross continue to offer the Wallaga Lake study centre during the school year, where Koori kids can do their homework and get other support.
The study centre operates Mondays and Tuesdays from 4pm to 6pm.
The study centre and Ngaardi women were always looking for more helpers and support. Contacted Ally through the Narooma Red Cross office at 0466 440 675.