General News
21 January, 2025
Heartfelt 'Love Your Mum' named Horsham's community event of the year
The Community Event of the Year for 2025 awarded to Love Your Mum
A heartfelt tribute to Horsham local Susan Schilling and a celebration of mothers everywhere has been named the Horsham Rural City Council's 2025 Community Event of the Year.
The Love Your Mum High Tea, organised by sisters Maria and Teresa Marchesini, Helen Fisher, Lee Elliot and Robyn Lardner, was recognised for its remarkable impact.
The group of five local women self-funded the May 12, 2024, event to pay tribute to Susan Schilling, who died in November 2021 from heart disease.
They raised $26,000, which was shared between Cardiac Rehabilitation and the Royal Flying Doctors.
Avid cooks Maria and Teressa had often thought of holding a High Tea, and the late Susan Shilling had also commented that Horsham had nothing like that to take mothers.
"Well, the cogs started turning," Maria said.
"Another conversation took place, this time with Robyn, and we could see the cogs working there too," they said.
"Robyn got the picture; she contacted these other lovely ladies, Lee and Helen, and soon we had a plan and were on the way, never imagining we'd raise as much as we did," they said.
It was three years since Susan had died, and the sisters said they felt they were ready to celebrate her life with this special event and offer an opportunity to educate guests about heart disease symptoms and the early signs of a heart attack.
Cardiac disease significantly impacts regional Australia, where residents often face higher rates of heart problems compared to urban areas.
This is mainly due to limited access to healthcare services, lifestyle factors, and socioeconomic challenges.
Guest speaker Judy Carter, a Horsham business owner, told her heart disease story at the 'Love Your Mum' event to honour and remember the Horsham mum.
"We honestly felt Susan was looking down on us that day," they said.
"We had her attitude and dreams of such an event, and we had our thoughts and cooking; she would have loved it."
Captain Tom Ryan of the Royal Flying Doctors Service led a four-piece band (Shrewd Brass) to entertain the gathering.
"It was an interactive band, and soon they had mothers and daughters of all ages and generations dancing and enjoying the event," Maria said.
"As people arrived, they danced up the aisle, even those with their walkers; it was a lovely atmosphere, and so many mothers and daughters shared in the day."
A fundraising auction took place featuring various items available for bidding.
Among the items, homemade yo-yo biscuits were auctioned off for an impressive $450; anyone who has tasted the Marchesini yo-yos would have considered that a bargain.
Many guests brought photos of their mothers and displayed them on the tables, creating a feeling that those who were no longer with their families in person remained in their hearts and thoughts, never to be forgotten.
"Our committee of five organised the event, but we had at least 20 other women who helped set up the town hall, helped decorate tables and worked in the kitchen.
"They were like a well-oiled machine," she said.
The organisers supplied the tea cups, saucers, and all the crockery for the High Tea.
There was also a crockery collection display.
"More than 50 businesses and 150 guests supported the event, and an anonymous single donation of $10,000 enabled the organisers to donate $16,000 to Grampians Health, Horsham Cardiac Rehabilitation and $10,000 to the Royal Flying Doctor Service Victoria," Mrs Lardner said.
"We were delighted to receive the call from the mayor, Cr Ian Ross, about the award.
" All the feedback we received about the event was positive on the day, and it is nice to know people enjoyed it and nominated it for this award," she said.
While no plans have been cemented for 2025, the event may return soon due to popular demand.