Time for reflection

By Kath Gannaway
SOME 140 people gathered at the Steels Creek Community Centre on Sunday for what centre president Keith Montell declared a day of reflection.
The tight-knit community lived up to the tag as they picnicked beneath the limited shade created by a cluster of elms and one gigantic cypress.
The trees, along with the centre, which in the past year had provided an anchor for the community, miraculously escaped the Black Saturday fires.
In a single wreath of colourful flowers, 11 red roses represented each of the people who died in the Steels Creek Valley and in Yarra Glen on 7 February.
The Australian flag was lowered to half-mast in recognition of the day marked as a National Day of Mourning for all those who lost their lives.
Mr Montell tapped into the spirit of the community – perhaps unintentionally – as he spoke of the past year and the future for Steels Creek.
“Most of the community is still here in our valley,” he said, adding that there was a strong sense of regeneration.
“Look at the suckers,” he said to everyone’s amusement.
“…I mean the trees,” he added.
He spoke of the financial, moral and physical support the community had received locally, nationally and globally.
“Various agencies have given assistance, our own shire has been terrific, and we are thankful for that support,” he said. “It has helped us start to get on with things.”
He said it had been a challenging 12 months.
“Some people are still deciding whether to rebuild or not. I think we should reflect that a year has gone and this is a nice new year,” he said. “We can get on with things.”
On a more sobering note he said “I think we should reflect that on that day our lives were spared,” and he urged everyone sitting silently to live life to the full.
“I think we should reflect on the loss of our good friends and family members,” he concluded, calling for a minute’s silence.
At Toolangi, where two people lost their lives, and in Chum Creek, the communities also came together to recognise the challenges and triumphs of the last 12 months.
Dixons Creek Fire Brigade was the focus of that community’s observance of the day. “The feeling was that we didn’t want to do anything at this point, but would rather celebrate something good a bit later,” community member Jean Shortis said.