A DIFFERENT WORLD
The Yosip family of Wallan, mum, dad and three lovely young daughters are making the most of life in Australia. Originally from the troubled Middle East Assyria Iraq border, dad Furat and mum Narim are the latest custodians of Kilmore’s Gaol Café. The three girls have schooled at Wallan Primary and Secondary College. The eldest has just graduated and will begin university in July while the younger ones are in Years 7 and 12 at college.
The parents are hard working and where possible are assisted by their daughters who are polite, really well mannered and a credit to their folks. Building on the goodwill created by their predecessors Sam Brennan and her colleague Heidi, the new couple in charge have expanded the menu, extending the opening hours to seven days a week with special pizza nights on Friday and Saturday. Their hope is to keep improving their service and catering for the people of the area they have come to love.
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The family loves Australia but naturally have fond memories and ties with family and friends in the land of their birth. Furat is keen on soccer, swimming, hiking and history. He is delighted Iraq’s team has qualified for the 2026 World Cup in the US.
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Best wishes to this fine family – they are a Christian family in the Judaeo-Christian tradition.
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FRIENDLY FACE
Rebecca Brown is one of the many friendly faces in shops and business houses in Kilmore’s Sydney Street. Bec is the owner and operator of Born Free Clothing and also works part-time at Kilmore Discount Pharmacy. Educated at Reservoir East Primary School and Bundoora Secondary College, she is the eldest of six. With husband Rodney Brown (her best friend), she has three young children – Shaylee, Rowan and Dalton. Sport runs strongly in the family and Rebecca’s brother Daniel Bramich is well known in the local cricket and football community. Bec played basketball as a junior and loves football, being a fourth generation Geelong fan. Her dad Geoff has been a great influence on her life, always supportive and encouraging. He too is a big Cats follower.
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Rebecca is an ever-smiling person who loves working with her colleagues and in general loves the community and its people. She really enjoys fashion, spending time with family and friends, watching the Cats play and also going to her children’s footy games. A recent holiday in Sydney with Rodney and the kids was a highlight with the ferry trips on the harbour and the spectacular landmarks.
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Just some random thoughts
University vice principals are paid $1.5 million salary a year. Are they really worth the combined pay of 10 qualified nurses?
A young friend said to me the other day Jim Chalmers and Chris Bowen are greater spinners than the legendary Shane Warne.
Great to see large and in so many cases vast crowds at Christian services over the Easter weekend. A former ACK student, now living in Columbia, texted me to say the several churches in his regional town with overflow crowds at each of their 10 services.
ITALY OUT
Italians at home and all over the world are devasted their national team has failed to qualify for this year’s soccer World Cup. Italy also failed to qualify in 2018 and 2022. It is a bitter blow once more for this great football nation.
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Brisbane Lions is flexing its muscles after a quiet start to its AFL title defence. It is hard to see it really faltering as the season unfolds.
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YOUNG STAR
Broadford Cricket Club youngster Harrison Wood (pictured) has won the GDCA Under-13s League Champion and Batting Average award. A fine young player with hopefully a very bright future in the game he loves.
