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FLTLT
Lorraine Every and some of the children at Pirlingimbi in
the Tiwi Islands set up a disco at the school holiday program.
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THE
Air Force has been part of the school holiday program in the Pirlingimbi
community of the Tiwi Islands for the first time.
Flight Lieutenant Lorraine Every was the only Air Force member
among a team of Army and Navy volunteers who helped the Australian
Red Cross conduct the program, the first of its type in Pirlingimbi.
The program aimed to provide sport, arts and craft activities
for Tiwi Island youth aged between 5 and 15 years during the September
school holidays.
The activity enabled the ADF to begin building a strong relationship
with an indigenous community while developing leadership and mentoring
skills.
The program started with the team conducting ice-breaking activities
that included face painting, bead making, basketball and bubbles.
The five-day trip was also spent swimming, playing Auskick, basketball,
volleyball, indoor cricket and soccer. The children also participated
in earth ball, skipping and a mini Olympics.
The arts and craft activities proved very popular. Many children
had their face and fingernails painted, made bead necklaces and
friendship bands and painted posters for their favourite football
team, the Imalu Tigers.
Events stretched into the night, too, with movies, sport under
lights and a disco.
The disco decorations lasted about 10 minutes as the children
recognised that it would be more fun if the streamers were used
to create headbands, masks and pompoms and the balloons popped.
FLTLT Every’s six team members were from Darwin’s Larrakeyah
Barracks, Norforce and HMAS Coonawarra. They were supported by
the sport and recreation officer in the community, Gideon Pangiraminni,
and his assistant Danielle Dunn.
