Laraine Mahoney Memorial Writing Award

A worthy winner

In December, 2019 Cooroy-Noosa Genealogical & Historical Research Group initiated the presentation of an award for writing, to be presented to a graduating Year Six student at Cooroy State School. This award honoured the memory of our late member and friend Laraine Mahoney and it was funded jointly by Genealogy Group and the Cooroy Book Clubs of which Laraine was an active member.

The Inaugural Award winner was Ashleigh Milnes, a vivacious student who spoke to us about her love of both reading and writing. She said she enjoyed conversations with her Poppy, especially when he tells family anecdotes. Ashleigh spoke of a family relationship to John Macarthur, the pioneer of the Australian wool industry in the early nineteenth century. The Milnes family have been told the story of an ancestor who entertained the famous bushrangers Ned and Dan Kelly to dinner one evening, whilst exchanging horses. Ashleigh has much to write about, if she chooses to record her
family’s history in the future. Her “Letter to the Future” was a component of a body of work completed during the Year Six writing course, upon which students were judged. It embodies elements of family, local and world history.

The award was presented at the school’s end of year Awards Ceremony by Laraine’s
friend Janet Garvey who taught alongside Laraine at Cooroy State School. Laraine’s husband was present along with members of the Research Group.

Read more stories in the May 2020 issue of Missing Link.