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15 October 2007 Media Release YOUTH INSPIRED TO DREAM BELIEVE & SUCCEED IN THE WIMMERA The Youth Leadership event at Horsham's Wesley Performing Arts Centre was an outstanding success, with around 200 people from the District hearing inspiring presentations on Friday night. Essendon AFL footballer Adam Ramanascus and marathon swimmer Tammy van Wisse thrilled the audience with stories of their lives, with both recounting how they had risen from humble beginnings via determination and over coming adversity. "Rama's" challenges with cancer and a major knee injury would have prompted many people to give up, but his Club and close friends supported him, and he came back twice to return triumphantly to the AFL senior players list. He told of his profile through football helping him to contact others in the community worse off than himself, giving him a better appreciation for the value of health and support in society. His work via the Essendon Community Development programme takes him to many country areas, to work helping young people focus their lives. He spoke of the delights of seeing the indigenous youth of the Torres Islands competing in sport, and living their lives to the fullest. Tammy van Wisse told about her introduction to swimming for health & fitness reasons as an over weight youngster. She became an average pool competitor, but never quite made the elite grade. She spoke about a meeting with Olympic swim champion Dawn Fraser that changed her life. Fraser impressed upon her the need to be the best that you can possibly be at any level of endeavour, and mentored van Wisse through her early marathon swimming career. Of all her international record breaking swims, van Wisse regarded the Murray River swim as her most confronting, because she gained a first hand appreciation of the value of water quality and the environment. She now spends much of her spare time campaigning for better water quality and environmental protection. Both speakers highlighted their strong support for youth leadership in rural areas, and the need for mentoring within the community. Mentoring and Skills workshops are being planned at the Wimmera Hub, and many in the audience registered their interest in the upcoming programme. Tammy and Rama mingled with the audience afterwards, signed autographs and pose for photos. Those interested in securing a place at the Youth Leadership Skills Workshops should contact Sally Piper at The Hub on 5382 5111 or sallyp@hub.org.au
Above:
(L->R) Tammy van Wisse, Sally Piper, and Adam Ramanascus.
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