Students hear of past glory
BILL Anderson, 75, has his fair share of stories to tell and he’s more than willing to let the students who visit the Brooklea Lifestyle Village hear his tales of Townsville in years gone by.
On one recent visit by Ignatius Park College students, Mr Anderson regaled them with the story of his stint as an Olympic torchbearer for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
Mr Anderson has kept all the official correspondence and has his own Olympic medal that he was presented with after completing his run.
“You had to put in an application and then they wrote back and said, yes, there’s time trials on out at the Cluden racecourse and we had to go out there and run a mile in under seven minutes to qualify,” he said.
“Then we had to train twice a week, we had to run from the Seaview Hotel to Kissing Point.
“Then every month we had to go back out and requalify at the racecourse.”
Mr Anderson was a 16- year- old apprentice blacksmith at the time.
When it came to run his mile, happened at 2.07am near Giru.
He later discovered that the father of his future wife, Gayle, was also a torchbearer during the relay. it
“Bill had came to take me out one night and he happened to look in my mum’s china cabinets and he said ‘ I’ve got one of those medals’,” Mrs Anderson said.
“My dad ran in the torch ( run) as well and when Dad came out with a photo and we looked at the photo, they were actually sitting side by side.”
Students from Ignatius Park College visit residents at the village, helping them to do small chores around their units, encompassing everything from gardening to lifting things for them and even helping out with technology.
In exchange they get to hear stories from the residents, including insights into the Townsville of years gone by.
“We appreciate them coming in and I think they have fun,” Mr Anderson said.
Ignatius Park College student Drew Roberts, 12, said he enjoyed the visits.
“Helping others makes me feel better and you get to meet new people,” he said.
“I strongly encourage all boys to give back one hour to the community and help out at the Brooklea Village.”
Brooklea Lifestyle Village manager Trish McCrae said it was fantastic to have students coming to spend time with residents.
“They enrich the residents’ lives as much as the residents enrich the boys’ lives,” he said. However, there can be unintended consequences.
PLS debts continue to accrue, with interest being capitalised, even if the loan balance ends up exceeding the value of the house securing it.
The Government will require the loan to be repaid in full. This may upset succession planning, for example where rural or other business assets are intended to pass to the next generation, or the reverse mortgaged property is left to one child, and other assets to siblings.
Make sure you have your lawyer review your Will if you plan to take out a PLS or other reverse mortgage.