I often think about my first years in Cummins, and why some people stay, and some people have moved on. Having a teaching job makes it very easy to meet people straightaway. Being involved in a school production in the first year meant that everyone in the school community, parents and kids knew who I was. I met people in community organisations, including parents of the kids I was teaching.
One of the first organisations I was involved in was the Arts Council. We facilitated visiting performances of music and drama, and visual arts displays. I was also on the enterprise committee and enjoyed being involved in upgrading the railway triangle and maintaining the caravan park.
I was a part of the ambulance for ten years. As one of the few who wasn't involved in winter sport, I was often the only one driving onto the oval on a Saturday because the other ambulance volunteers were already there! Living across the road from the station was convenient and the response time was quick. It was very rewarding and our community values how important volunteers in the ambulance are.
I thoroughly enjoyed my nine years on the Community Bank board including on the sponsorship and grants committee. Spending time looking through applications and allocating money to different groups and then following how it supports the people was special. Looking around the community and seeing how the bank, supported by its shareholders and customers, have contributed is amazing.
I became involved with Wilbur Klein and Roy and David Modra, and for ten years we were in a band. Wilbur went to Lincoln one day to buy lounge suite advertised in the local paper. When he arrived, the lounge suite had already been sold. Instead, he came home with a drum kit! I've always enjoyed listening to music and I can clap in time, so I learnt to play the drums well enough for what we did. It was a lot of fun. Our band practice sessions were social with cheese, wine, good conversation and some music.
Roy’s Boys produced original music and practiced at David and Jane Pearsons shed. We performed in a lot of different places; Cummins under Canvas, Tunarama and at various other community events. We even toured Mintabie! Our Lyndhurst and Innaminca tour was with The President's Men. As you can imagine, it was quite entertaining and not too serious. It's quite funny because there's this argument about who was the support band. They were playing music which a lot of the audience knew, and we were playing Wilbur's original ballads about the country and his travels. With our original music and their covers it was a great balance.
Travel is important, including weekends away or going to Adelaide to relax. I've been lucky to travel with friends to many places. I did a couple of trips through the Education Department with studies in Asia. What I like about international traveling is gaining a sense of understanding about world history and our place in it. It also reminds me of how great it is to live in Australia.
I think something I learned early in the country is the many ways of participating in the community. Having lived in Cummins for a while but not born here, there was often that question, Do you feel like a local? Well, no, not really, but I feel like I'm involved and accepted as part of the community, because by volunteering, being interested and knowing lots of people you enjoy being part of it.
A good example of community connections is Barb Diment. I'm in the book club with her, performed in musicals together, she was the team leader when I was in the ambulance, we were involved in Cummins under canvas committee and she was a school cleaner when I first came to Cummins. There are many other people I have interacted with in different organisations and roles who have become good friends.
I'm not involved in much outside of work currently, but I believe teaching has become more involved. I'm enjoying working towards developing my garden and feel lucky to be living in a house of my own design. I’ve enjoyed staying home, reading and socialising with friends. I think there’ll be roles in the community I can become involved in when I have more flexible time when not teaching.
Dad always advised me to make the most out of every opportunity. I have said yes to many offers, because I have some flexibility in my life and am keen to try different and new experiences. Growing up in the city was so different to a life in Cummins as there are many opportunities here. I feel because I haven’t just been involved in one role or organisation I have connections with many different groups of people. Cummins is where I built my home and expect to live for the rest of my life.
John Wood
I grew up in Adelaide with my parents and my older sister Heather and went to school at Highgate Primary and then Unley High School. I had a teacher in year six who I thought was pretty good, which led me to university and primary teaching.
After relief teaching in the Port Adelaide area, a contract at Booleroo Centre, a couple years at Padthaway and a year at Saddleworth I moved to Cummins in 1995 with a year 2/3 class.
Over my years in Cummins, I’ve moved through the primary years with many years in the year 6/7 spot. It’s an interesting age for kids and I really enjoyed organising the annual Coffin Bay Aquatic Camp. I was Middle School and Wellbeing Coordinator which meant spending more time with a wider variety of students. I have been involved with SRC and YAC groups, coordinating the music program. I now mainly teach math across years 7, 8 and 9. I’ve had a year 9 home group for the last few years.
In my first year Heather Heidenreich put out a message about a school production. I turned up with Liz Holley and past student Damien Aird. Together the four of us produced Hey, Hey. I enjoyed getting to know students outside of my junior primary class, some of whom are now teaching at the school. I've performed in a couple of them over the years and the same with the community musicals. Being involved in the musicals as a performer, on the committee and doing the backgrounds and digital backgrounds was a lot of fun. Going to rehearsals and finding who in the community could sing, act and dance was amazing.
Sailing has always been important to me, and I like being on the water more than in the water. I first sailed with Dad when I was seven and remember a trip to Coorong where I had my Storm Boy experience. For our family holidays we’d sail from Port Adelaide to Port Vincent where we spent ten days living on the boat. My summer sport was sailing, and we used to race regularly. Sailing amongst the mangrove creeks north of Adelaide when the tide was high and anchoring inside the sandbar amongst the mangroves was special. Even better was in winter without the mosquitoes. After university, I applied for all sorts of jobs but took one overseas, teaching sailing in the South of France. I lived in a tent for seven weeks teaching sailing in the Mediterranean. Michael Agnew and I recently bought a six-meter trailable yacht which we’ve enjoyed sailing around Coffin Bay and Tumby Bay.