Faith Macale
Melton Citizen of the Year Mary-Anne Rovers chats with Faith Macale.
Tell us more about the work that you do in the community.
I approached the council asking if some sort of knitting – crochet group could be started up as part of the learning programmes in Diggers Rest. They included it in their brochure, and it’s still going. I started a Facebook group for the knit and crochet group, but also, we’ve got buy, sell and swap groups and community groups. I’m a co-admin of the buy swap and sell group.
What do you think was the reason you were awarded as Citizen of the Year?
I think the main reason why I was nominated for the citizen of the year was because a cenotaph was built next to the fire station on the reserve area, and it was a joint thing between the primary school and the Diggers Rest Lions. I saw it there, and I wondered if the school was going to do a ceremony or something there. I spoke to the principal, and I said, ‘Look, you’ve got the cenotaph there. Are you going to have ceremonies?’, and said they haven’t thought about it. I said, ‘Would you like to have a Remembrance Day, Anzac Day ceremony there and the school be involved?’ and they came on board. I would do the ceremony and the orders of service and the posters and put them in the community, promote them on the Facebook groups within the community. It’s been growing little by little.
Paint me a picture on the night that you found out you were nominated and won Citizen of the Year.
A friend was considering nominating me for an achievement award. The nomination was drafted, and it was basically acknowledging that I do the ceremonies, but also that I am involved in Anzac and Remembrance Day periods. It said that ‘Even while she was being treated for cancer, she continued to do the work.’ The council invited me to attend the achievement ceremony awards night. It was only on the night that the penny dropped that I was nominated for the big one. That was the last thing that was presented that night and my name was called out. I sat there, hand in front of my mouth. I had to really control myself so that I didn’t cry. As somebody from Diggers Rest, we tend to be the forgotten little edge of the City of Melton, so to have that acknowledgement is really gratifying.
Why is it important to be advocating for your community?
I think the community has a sense of isolation from Melton, because we’re a little satellite part of the city of Melton, out of sight, out of mind. If we don’t jump up and down to see if we can get things done or get better, it doesn’t happen.
