DELLA: MOTHER’S DAY IS EVERYDAY
‘Mother’s Day is every day. The best thing about weightlifting is we get our family involved. They are part of our daily activities.’
The Elder family do everything together, including their favoured sport - weightlifting. And as mothers around the country celebrate special their day tomorrow, Della Shaw-Elder is grateful that weightlifting and her family have always made everyday a Mother’s Day for her.
Della is among those who deserve special mention for balancing family, sports and work.
She played, administered and officiated at the national and international level.
She is also the Weightlifting Fiji general secretary.
Della is also the only female International Weightlifting Federation category one referee in the Pacific, and has been appointed as an international technical official at the Tokyo Olympics next July.
Like most mothers, Della will spend Mother’s Day with her immediate family.
“But for us, Mother’s Day is every day,” she said.
“It’s all about spending quality time with the children.
“We do everything together.
“The children have been cooking, gardening, doing Bible studies, prayers and fellowships and most times doing their school work together.”
Della said the coronavirus restrictions had given them the best family time. However, she misses their eldest son, who is not able to spend Mother’s Day with them.
“This is going to be my first Mother’s Day without our older son, who is in New Zealand,” Della said.
“I will just enjoy it (Mother’s Day) with the family and the kids.”
Della said everyone should still adhere to health precautionary measures.
She is grateful that weightlifting is a family sport that enables her to be with her kids during training.
She also refers to her athletes as her kids because they have become part of her family.
“The best thing about weightlifting is we get our family involved. They are part of our daily activities,” she said.
“Our practise finishes on Saturday, so the children are with us all the time, and I think that’s the blessing, the best part of it.
■Weigh●ifti■g Fiji will have its Annual General Meeting on Sunday, May 31.