May is one of my favourite months because it is my birthday month, and I love celebrating it. While the increasing number sometimes scares me, I remind myself how lucky I am that it continues to rise and with that, the fear resides.
Not only do I get to spend every day of May in anticipation of my birthday date landing on the final day, but Mother’s Day is also added into the mix. Add Small Business Month occurring in May and National Volunteer Week and Reconciliation Week falling in May, and there is so much to appreciate, celebrate and be thankful for.
With the first Monday of May always dedicated to Labour Day, childhood memories of marching with the QNMU (formerly QNU) come to mind. My Grandmother, Glenda Ross, worked as the Regional Organiser for the QNU after nursing and before her retirement, and it was a given that my siblings and cousins donned a shirt, marched and looked the part. All we knew was that we were marching for workers’ rights – even as a young child, it sounded reasonable to me.
While there is much yet to come for May, seeing as though we’re only on the 10th day, one thing that excites me is that we’re less than twelve months away from Beef Australia 2024 (and we’re closer to RockyNats 04).
As avid Beef 21 and now Beef 24 members, Nathan and I attended the launch event on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at the Showgrounds on the lawn.
The impact this event has on our region is significant. With a vision to be a world-renowned event, one of the priorities for the organisers is to involve our entire community. Everyone is welcome at Beef, not just the farmers, producers and industry representatives.
Beef Australia 2024 isn’t just for one group of people. Even those without experience in agriculture will find something that takes their fancy.
At the launch event, we heard that there would be different ticket options to ensure that the wider community is catered for. I’m excited at the linkage between what Expo 88 offered after hours and what Beef Australia 2024 can provide from 3pm daily. I was only three years old when Expo 88 was held in South East Queensland.
Still, I recognise the benefits it bought to South Brisbane, especially from an infrastructure perspective. While all the lectures, shows, competitions and industry-specific activities occur throughout the day, the switch will happen in the afternoon and evening to create an environment for all to enjoy. This event is an opportunity to put Rockhampton on the world map as a destination to visit at least once in a lifetime for Beef Australia. As we know, it only comes around every three years, so you can imagine our worldwide friends’ anticipation to attend, especially after the interruptions to international travel of the last few years. With tickets on sale from October, I know what some of my friends and family will be getting for Christmas!
We’re so lucky to have such a wide variety of events in our region which suit people of all ages. The investment in bringing attractions to the area is appreciated, and it’s essential to recognise the large number of contributors who help to make this happen in parallel with the three levels of government.
This year, May brings a new opportunity to me, which involves a lot of walking and talking. I’ve signed up to walk 65 kilometres across the month to raise money for Lifeline Australia. I mentioned in my column last week that I was supporting a family member through a mental health crisis, and one of the things I like to focus my attention on is what is within my control because I honestly don’t worry about what’s outside of my control. Of course, I’m aware of it, but it doesn’t stress me.
When I saw the Lifeline Australia Walk the Talk opportunity to walk 65 kilometres and raise $500, I knew that taking this journey would enable me to continue to advocate while making a difference for others. When writing this column, I am sitting at $585 raised and around 5 kilometres walked. It’s been a slow start to the month due to my health; however, some big hikes are planned for when I’m well, which will make up the distance.
“Every year, over 65,000 Australians attempt to take their own lives. By raising funds for Lifeline Australia, I can play my part in ensuring that every Queenslander going through a difficult time can have their call for help answered. Every step and conversation brings us closer to stopping the stigma surrounding mental health”.
I am very disheartened with the lack of crisis mental health support available in our public health system, and while I work on a plan to take action in that space, for now, I’ll walk, share, advocate, care and love.
May – what a month! Buckle up because it’s going to be a wild ride for good!
