Community Living Australia book launch gets emotional

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Community Living Australia’s Our Story chronicles around four decades of the organisation supporting people with disability in the Murraylands and Strathalbyn to improve their lifestyles and reach their dreams.

Community Living Australia board member Emily Cordell spoke at the launch, mentioning how the organisation began as Community Lifestyles in the 1980s to serve the Murraylands community, with just four employees.

In 2016, Community Lifestyles became Community Living Australia after merging with CLASS, an organisation formed by parents living in Strathalbyn looking for recreational activities for their children with disability.

“We now support 350 people and their families and employ over 500 staff,” Ms Cordell said.

With Our Story featuring stories and photographs of Community Living Australia’s clients and staff over four decades, some guests at the event were visibly emotional.

Community Living Australia CEO Mark Kulinski spoke at the launch and did what an engaged CEO should do – he became choked with emotion when talking about his organisation.

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“It’s an emotional day – it’s rewarding to recognise the people undergoing challenges and achieving wonderful things,” Mr Kulinski said.

“The book’s a testament to our passions and persistence.

“It’s also coming together with old friends.”

“People in the Murraylands living with disability and their families have contributed to the community and have lifted the whole community, which has a significant impact – so many stories.”

One of the people Community Living Australia has helped to integrate into the Murray Bridge community is Martin Scott, who makes several appearances in Our Story.

Mr Scott’s mother Rosie Scott OAM describes her son as a “mad Collingwood supporter” who loves country music.

Our Story tells of how Ms Scott, a former board member of Community Lifestyles, ran Rosie’s Café in Murray Bridge from 2006 to 2008 to improve the skills, confidence and community connection of people with disability and served lunch to many customers in the process.

Although Ms Scott is now retired, she’s still involved with Community Living Australia and takes people with disability to play eight ball and ten-pin bowling each week.

“We also go to see country music in the Imperial Football Club rooms on the fourth Sunday of the month; they’ve been very welcoming to our group – they all like them, and they save tables for us at the back,” Ms Scott said.

Some people at the book launch cried when browsing through Our Story, and clients at the launch expressed positive emotions about the book and the organisation behind it, such as client/client board member Kristy Phillips.

“I’ve been here over the past 16 years, and I’m very impressed,” Ms Phillips said.

“It’s been an amazing day: to put out the book and go out to members of the community – they can see what we do in the future.

“Thank you to the likes of Mark and Sue Horsnell [a former CEO of Community Lifestyles] to help us be a better person.”

Sophie Pinkerton, another Community Living client expressed similar sentiments.

“I think it’s a great company to be with,” she said.

“It’s great – if it wasn’t for the organisation, I’d be sitting at home looking at the four walls.

“So many stuff we do, like bowling, go out to the pub for lunch, swimming and go out into the community.

Ken Coventry OAM, who attended the launch, thinks it’s important that the book Our Story be placed in the community.

“I hope the Councils are aware of it and it’s in the libraries, so people are aware of it,” he said.

Copies of Our Story can be purchased from Community Living Australia, Level 1, 15–19 Victoria Crescent, Mount Barker.

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