A RECOMMENDATION from the 2014 Parliamentary Inquiry into the Family Response into the Murders in Bowraville took a concrete form last weekend when the community gathered for the Bowraville Memorial Cup and Youth Expo.
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Having been approached by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, in recent months the Ready Mob from the Galambila Aboriginal Health Service has been carrying out focus groups at the Nambucca Youthie to find out what the young people of Bowraville wanted to do in the way of honouring the memory of Colleen Walker-Craig, Evelyn Greenup and Clinton Speedy-Duroux.
A sporting event, and touch footy in particular, was keenly supported and so planning for the two day event got underway.
Last Friday 320 students together with organisations such as KAPOW, Wesley Mission, the Nambucca Youthie, Community Health, the Defence Force and NSW Police gathered at Bowraville’s Hennessy Tape Oval for a Youth Expo that involved a range of interactive activities.
The following day a touch footy carnival saw 90 players pull on jerseys that had been sponsored by local businesses and the council for a day of fun on the field, including barefoot foot races.
Galambila Youth worker, David Reid, said it was a great turn-out and excitement was already there for next year’s event.
“We have been working with the families and the community to help them plan this and eventually run it themselves,” David said.
Family member Michelle Jarratt (Evelyn’s aunt) said everyone had a good time, staying around for the dinner and movie that was screened in Bowraville Theatre on Friday night.
“Lots of people in the community got involved – businesses sponsored the weekend, the Lions Club was there and the Bowra Tigers opened their canteen for us,” Michelle said.
“The kids had a lot of fun on both days … for me and my family, we felt proud of how the community came together to offer something to our kids, because they are our future.”
