Book ‘taps into’ residents’ pasts

Migrant stories recounting war time struggles, imprisonment and the torrid journey to Australia are just some memories which feature in the book Your Story: Memories & Milestones by author Monique Sheldon-Stemm.

The book features the stories of 22 residents from Victoria’s Kalyna Care aged care facility from the Ukraine, Poland, Malta, Croatia, Laos, Serbia, Italy, India and Slovenia.

Speaking at the recent launch of the book, Planning Minister, Matthew Guy, reflected on his own history and empathised with the residents’ life stories.

The son of a post war migrant mother, Minister Guy’s Ukrainian grandparents fled Stalin’s Soviet Union in 1949.

“Like many Victorians, my ancestors migrated to Australia. These stories depict the courage, resilience and hard work of those who migrated from other countries to start a new life in Australia,” Minister Guy said.

“The stories of that generation tell us so much about the Australia we know and love today, and give great insight to Victoria’s multicultural fabric,” he added.

It is the second book from Ms Sheldon-Stemm, who is also a Kalyna Care staff member. She says the book celebrates life, its ups and downs, fortunes and misfortunes and the grief and joy that makes us who we are.

“The voices of real people speak volumes through the annals of time. Through listening and recording the stories of Kalyna Care residents we tap into the past in a highly personal way, collecting a unique perspective and memory of a life that has been,” she said.

The book celebrates the 20^th anniversary of Kalyna Care.