Un-Rhyll

To my favourite 'Chio'!

When I look back at all we have shared in over the years, it is simply mind-blowing! It all started during our teens in the days of the ol' 'telling bone' (phone for those of you not au fait with Cockney slang). Wow! That was roughly four decades ago and may I emphasise the roughly? Not from a time-line point of view but for the shenanigans we got up to 'back in the day'. I have forever been grateful for our friendship ever since and how you initiated the phone call to my home just because you liked me and thought I'd make a good friend. You have always been a good judge of character. Ha ha ha !!!

We have shared in ridiculously funny camping trips making up our own chorus to 'A You're Adorable...' Making it our own by changing it to 'A You're an Asshole...' just to make a strong 'feminist' statement about not needing men (Hmmm.... Interesting).

Your beautiful boyfriend and mutually so very well loved friend Kenton, died of Leukaemia back in 1988 and our gorgeous friend Joe died just the year after in a car accident. So much to endure so soon.

So lets do a little recap of what you've achieved since....

After you finished Year 12 among the very first VCE graduates, you went straight into charity work and cut your teeth on it working at The Variety Club from admin to State Manager by the age of 24. We used to love a sing along around the piano with Peter Sullivan after 'Name That Tune' was on, in a pub in South Melbourne known as 'The Town Hall'. Remember Bobby Valentine? The Bull Sisters would sometimes drop in if we were lucky and those lovely twins, or were they triplets, that were stars on our own Aussie hit tv series "Neighbours!" Twins! Gale and Gillian Blakeney! That's right. They were gorgeous! All experiences that came as a kick off from the Variety Club office being located at the Channel 9 studios. The 'Variety Club Bash' was something I only heard of because you helped to organise it!

You may as well have been at 'Greasy Joes' when the 'boys in blue' were dancing on the bar and got into a little bit of front page newspaper trouble for one reason or another.... It certainly happened while we lived together in Jackson Street so I'll include you in that. Let's just call that 'guilty by association'.

During this time we lived together and found ourselves checking out photos of the Samburu people of North Eastern Kenya at Mike 'Up There Cazaly' Brady's house in Elwood after a few too many 'sodas'.

In 1993 your Dad got cancer.

A family member owned a business called 'Cafe Pigdon' and in the name of supporting family you came back to help as they were not doing their best to cope at that time. You were there for them.

Went backpacking for 8 months fulfilling your dream to do so but your sister called you to let you know your Dad was in fact dying (you only left due to his encouragement). You worked for Andrew Gill and took over running Cafe Pigdon in partnership with the chef. Your father died during this time and you continued to run the Cafe until 1997.

Then into politics, keeping it in the family, working for Labour MP and brother-in -law part time. Cafe Pigdon closing down in 1998. Picking up work in the Melbourne Colonial Tram Car Restaurant to run with the travel bug again. Left for overseas on a one way ticket.

Travelled around Spain, lived in an Anti-Squat in Amsterdam for a couple of months. Worked at the Financial Times from 1999 to 2001. Was UK Supermodel Kate Moss's Personal Assistant, worked for media buying company 'Posterscope' and a private members club for artists; 'Chelsea Arts Club'.

You were that girl that felt like they had been hit by a bus because you had been hit by a bus on a moped bike while backpacking around Greece in 2002. You added to your list of injuries a broken back, collar bone, ribs, wrist, shoulder, threw in punctured lungs for an additional edge to the breathlessness we all felt when we got the news. This had you remaining in Greece and the UK for a couple of months.

2003-5 more charity work and work with the elderly.

We re-united at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland after many years and had one of the most memorable trips I have ever had. You had careers counselling and a life coach to re-ignite your career fulfilment in 2004.

You jagged a dream job for an org in the UK as a project manager for 4 years and in 2008 returned to OZ to find yourself back in the Not For Profit (NFP) sector helping young people from lower socio- economic backgrounds be able to afford education, realise their dreams and you have done so for THOUSANDS of these inspirational humans over nearly 12 years! Western Chances (WC) founder Terry Bracks appointed you Chief Executive Officer. In my opinion the title never seemed to suit your character, so you were always 'Chio' to me. WC grew as an NFP from the money your team acquired under your watch, from anywhere you could find donors and made every one of them feel equally appreciated.

In 2010 your sister got breast cancer and recovered.

You went to Stanford University TWICE and somewhere in there I put forward a nomination for you to become Australian of the Year and they couldn't recognise your efforts?!

Well sister. I'm here to tell you that I DO! Cheers to you and may we share in many more memories forevermore. Love you chick. Besides my Mum, you're the most selfless human being I know!.... Oh... And my other sister... Of blood. Eeny Hoo. You know what I mean. You're ACE!

The message that shines for me, from the exemplary life you lead, is that being enriched doesn’t occur through what you take from life but from what you give. Everyone has the capacity to choose their personal outcomes from their experiences and your glass is always half full. In your own words, based on how you have supported others to better their quality of life, you sleep soundly at night in the knowledge of all you have helped make possible for them. “Team work makes the dream work!” As you say. This is a life well lived and I thank you for navigating it in such a way that you sculpt yourself as a role model for anyone who cares to study your habits.

Until we meet again,

Signing off.

MJ

If you have liked this story. Give it some love. Don't tip me... Look up a charity of your choice and tip them as that is the sort of initiative that Rhyll generates. It's just how she rolls.

The 'Ya Little Ripper' image link for greeting cards is embedded here.