R U OK Day is on Thursday 13 September this year.
Braidwood had an early start with its Tune Up Day on 7 September. The event was organised to offer our local community the opportunity to meet at the Recreation Ground and access health and wellbeing services.
The organiser of the day, George Sherriff, has a close connection with R U OK through the OzHelp Foundation. The Braidwood event was a day to listen, ask, plan some action steps and set up ways to continue conversations.
I was there with the Braidwood Rural Fire Service. Our contribution to the day was to talk with anyone thinking about clarifying their bush fire readiness plans.
Over the nine hours of the day there was a constant stream of people taking advantage of the OZHelp consultancy, our bush fire awareness conversations and the host of other services available including: the rural health advisory program; Braidwood’s multipurpose service; rural finance advisors; NSW Department of Primary Industries; and livestock management experts.
Throughout the day I was mindful of the conversations going on throughout the Recreation Ground fuelled by excellent complementary coffee and the Braidwood Lions’ catering service.
As well as meeting lots of people in our community, I bumped into Frank Arsego who was working with OzHelp. Frank had just returned from Singapore after working there as Technical Director of basketball. Frank and I first met when we were both at the AIS in 2002.
Now that Frank is back he will be continuing his work with OZHelp and will bring his passion for sport into conversations with tradies in and around Canberra. Geore Sherriff, the event organiser, is the Braidwood Redbacks’ rugby union coach.
As part of my follow up conversations I will make sure I introduce them to each other.
Photo Credits
Frank Aresego (Todayonline, 2016)
George Sherriff (Braidwood Times, 8 May 2017)
