Celebrating Suncare customers…
One of the great highlights for Suncare staff is uncovering the rich history and life stories from our customers, and in this article we celebrate three Suncare customers.
Meet Durelle: Signing up for university at 83
Durelle is no stranger to accepting challenges…
To overcome her fear of flying as a young woman, Durelle took flying lessons! At age 67, she travelled alone to Zambia, where she dedicated six years to volunteering and helping the needy, including teaching local women how to sew.
Determined not to get bored as she gets older, 83-year-old Durelle recently signed up for another challenge – studying her Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
She’s a cheerful face on campus, greeted enthusiastically by students and staff alike. Durelle does not let her age hold her back and says, “You need to stay mentally and physically active as you get older. You can do anything if you just set your mind to it.”
Meet Baz: A 30 year history in horse racing
For three decades, Barry (warmly known as Baz by most) combined work with his passion for horses. Winning his first official race as a jockey at the age of 14, on a horse called Archerfield, Baz never looked back. His love of horses began at the age of four when Mr Pritchard, who sold the newspaper, milk and sugar in his horse drawn cart, allowed little Baz to sit on his horse. Encouraged by his parents, Barry continued to work at the stables 2km from his house, walking there daily and collecting numerous cuttings from the newspapers on races around the country.
At just 13 years old, Baz left home to live at the racecourse stables, learning the ropes of racing and practising for his first race at Flemington, which he won! The £25 winners prize bought him his first bicycle.
By the age of 15, Baz had won fifty races and was well and truly a feature on the racing pages of the newspapers. The last race Barry and horse Frosty Locks participated in took place on his 42nd birthday, and after three decades of racing, Barry ended his career with another win.
Barry remembers every race and the name of every horse he rode like it was yesterday. When he retired, Baz started writing stories of his racing days. The often hilarious tales have regularly featured at Suncare customer events and are always greeted with much applause and laughter.
Baz says it’s easy to write about something you know and love and we look forward to many more exciting stories about his years in the saddle.
Meet Joan: A proud racehorse owner
At 88 years young, Joan became part-owner of a winning racehorse, when she signed documents putting Sirileo Miss in her name. Regarded by those in the know as ‘as a racehorse with above-average ability’, the four-year-old mare has raced in 14 races, with six wins and four placings. No-one could be more proud than Joan. “My father used to keep the racing stats for the Melbourne Times. That must have been a sign” she laughs.
Horse trainer Simon was so impressed with Joan travelling to Adelaide to see her horse race that he presented her with the saddlecloth, now a prized feature in Joan’s house, together with beautiful photos of the wins Sirileo Miss has achieved.
Joan loves the visits from her Suncare Domestic Support team, especially after a raceday when her excitement is infectious. Joan, may the winning streak continue well into the future!
