As a new member of the Fairley Leadership Program, Ms Leyonhjelm feels passionately about the community who supported her and her fiance, Wayne Rickard, throughout his journey with stage four cancer.
Close friends banded together to raise funds for alternative treatment options in China after Wayne was diagnosed in 2013 with cancer.
“While it was extremely emotional and highly stressful, the treatment helped Wayne immensely in the early stages but the cancer came back in the January 2014, when we were back in China for his fourth round of treatment,” Ms Leyonhjelm said.
Another group of people from the community who Wayne used to attend exercise classes with, joined forces and organised a fun-run to raise further funds for the treatment.
“It was such an amazing community event and the emotional impact on our family and close friends was felt for a long time,” she said.
“The following year, the event was run in Wayne’s memory for a little boy who was undergoing cancer treatment and again, the community in which we lived came out in force.”
Over the following two years, Ms Leyonhjelm took over the organising of the event with committee members to create a charity Run 4 Wayne.
“I was blown away every time with the support and effort that people were willing to go to in order to help a family who had been affected by having or losing a loved family member with cancer,” Ms Leyonhjelm said.
Ms Leyonhjelm then went on to arrange the Sweat vs Steam event under the umbrella of the Bendigo Regional YMCA.
Again, the support of community members to help with the event and provide funds to the cause was evident.
“We clearly live in a special place where people want to help others,” said Ms Leyonhjelm.
She is now keen to return that support back towards the community.
Ms Leyonhjelm holds the position of Executive Assistant to the CEO and mayor at Murray River Council.
She has held this position for 16 months.
“I really love my role and enjoy the interactions I have with Councillors, community members and staff,” she said.
“While at times it can be full on, I enjoy the people I work with and there is such a commitment to making where we live a better place for everyone.”
She was prompted by council chief executive officer Terry Dodds, who did a presentation about the Fairley Leadership Program in 2021.
Ms Leyonhjelm said: “it looked like it was something that could change people’s lives and a great platform to increase connections, while helping the communities in which the participants lived.”
Prior to applying for the program, Ms Leyonhjelm had completed the final capstone subject in her business degree at Goulburn Murray Community Leadership.
She was encouraged by the program and strategic manager at Goulburn Murray Community Leadership to apply.
As to why Ms Leyonhjelm has taken on the program, she said: “the Fairley Leadership Program is a vehicle to bring a group of motivated and community orientated people together to make a difference.
“The current and past cohorts continue to do so by banding together to make a difference one step at a time in people’s lives, for the better.”
In terms of what she hopes to get out of the program, Ms Leyonhjelm hopes it enriches her personal and professional life by providing a network of knowledge, support and experience.
“Then I can help to make the community I live in to be stronger and more resilient,” she said.
Last weekend was the first retreat for the program.
The weekend involved listening to inspirational leaders speak on the topic of leadership, participating in team building exercises and learning how to develop social media marketing skills.
Ms Leyonhjelm described it as being an “eye opening, supportive, fun, emotional and a great experience that set us up for what we will be doing for the rest of the year”.
She said she was incredibly grateful of the fact she gets to go on this rewarding journey of personal growth.
“It has provided them with hope and resilience and has personally shown me the effect a little bit of effort has on people,” she said.
Ms Leyonhjelm hopes that upon completion of the program, she can bring solutions back into the community that will tackle challenges that have been highlighted throughout the year.
She aspires to give back to the community while addressing these issues.
“Everyone needs some form of support and assistance in their lives, I have certainly needed it throughout my life. Giving back can help someone else in need where support would not have been otherwise available,” Ms Leyonhjelm said.
Ms Leyonhjelm was initially feeling nervous about getting on board with the program but after the launch night, knew that she was in the right place.
“It’s going to be an amazing ride with the rest of this year’s cohorts.
“Past fellows are often saying it was a life-changing experience and I am excited to see where this experience will personally take me and which relationships I will form.”
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