OCTOBER is a special month recognising many special events and weeks in our community. October 1 was International Day of Older Persons, October 8-16 is Queensland Mental Health Week which is centred around World Mental Health Day on October 10. World Homeless Day is also observed on October 10, October 16-22 is National Carer’s Week and October 28 is Canteen’s National Bandana Day and Day for Daniel.
October is also Dyslexia Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sexual Violence Awareness Month, Assistance Dogs Australia ‘Dogtober’, as well as Queensland Police’s Crime Prevention Month.
During the month I will be supporting as many events being run in our local community by our amazing volunteers as possible. So far, Saturday I have participated in the Naradell Walking Rally for Mental Health. Then Sunday I walked in the Mooloolaba Rotary Lift the Lid for Mental Health – this event is a special annual event that started here on the Sunshine Coast and now has walks all over Australia and the money raised goes to Australian Rotary Health for mental health research grants. This walk started with the dream of Vicki Stewart to break down the social stigma of mental health, to make it ‘ ok – not to be ok ‘ and to be able to talk about that without the shame and social stigma attached for so many decades to that topic. This walk marked its seventh year with over 500 people in attendance and the walks raising over $60,000 since they started.
Sunday, I also attended the Coolum HeARTs Sing out for Mental Health at Coolum State Primary School with great presentations also from both the primary and high school.
Together with my Coast colleagues, we have supported the Sunshine Coast Annual Seniors Dinner Event run by the Sunshine Coast Probus Clubs, celebrating Seniors Week.
I also attended the Cindy Mackenzie Breast Cancer Program Annual Think Pink Cocktail Party, which is always a fantastic night with some inspiring women (and men) out to raise some serious dollars for an integral local charity.
The community support for important events is what makes the Sunshine Coast and why I love where we live. If you have an event that you are supporting this month, thank you for playing your part in our wonderful community. If you see me at anything, please say ‘hello’.
I also must acknowledge World Homeless Day which was last Monday – lack of rental stock, with vacancies at close to 0 per cent, and lengthy wait times for social housing is causing many issues on the Sunshine Coast. Then of course, coupled with land availability and the cost to build rapidly increasing it is an area that needs serious attention.
My office receives numerous housing enquiries from desperate members of our community and will always assist and provide advice where possible. Last week I also met with several community-run initiatives that are working with the not-for-profit as well as market to try and get more housing options to market and available as soon as possible.