Community involvement

MONA Ella Mynard will be remembered for many things – most of all her involvement in her community.
Whether it be in Bayles, Lang Lang, Catani or Tooradin, Mona was always involved in at least one aspect of the town she lived in.
Son Jim Mynard said he couldn’t remember a time when she wasn’t doing something for others.
He also recalled her hobby as a doll maker – sending dolls locally and across the world where they were given to needy children.
“She religiously kept a scrapbook of the district history and copious records and photographs of family history,” he said.
“We, her children, in those years of growing up through our teens – took her for granted. She was always there.”
After leaving school Mona (Hayward) worked full time to become a baker and pastry cook.
She quickly became well-known for her delightful vanilla slices which were favourites at community events and fund raising stalls.
While a teenager at Bayles she met loving husband, Joe Mynard, and they were married at Ringwood where the Hayward family had made a new home. They made their first home at Middle Brighton before moving to the farm at Catani.
Mona served as secretary and treasurer to the Catani Scouts, an organisation in which she and Joe took a keen interest.
The family moved to Tooradin in 1956 before Lang Lang during the late 1950s to take up farming at McDonald’s Track.
And as much as Tooradin had and still has a strong community feeling, Lang Lang became a special place for the Mynards – especially for Mona and the younger children.
Mona was quoted in 2009 in a Pakenham Gazette centenary feature that photographed 100 people, one representing each year, and said her deepest regret was that she never held a driver’s licence.
About that time, just after her 92nd birthday, the family encouraged her to buy a motorised scooter.
Jim said this gave her enormous independence.
“She and others, with their scooters, were photographed in the Pakenham Gazette a couple of years ago – calling for crossing lights in Main Street, Lang Lang,” he said.
“That was a long battle, but the lights were switched on the day after mum died.”
Jim could not fault the medical support given to Mona.
“I cannot stress enough the value of Lang Lang’s First Response Service – and the team of volunteers behind that service,” Jim said.
“On one occasion when Mum collapsed my sister was fortunately in the house and she rang the ambulance. The First Response team was with Mum within about three minutes and the main ambulance was on the way from Pakenham.
“Eventually Mum was placed in the ambulance for transport to Casey Hospital and the ambulance driver turned to a member of the First Response team and said: “Well – you’ve saved her life.”
He said the family was convinced that Mona was very near death on five occasions in latter years, but always fought her way back.
“There was a family joke that she just didn’t want to give up our inheritance,” he said.
“But it was the medical teams at the Casey, Dandenong, Warragul, and Kooweerup Hospitals.
“Killara at Kooweerup – that was responsible for her longevity, along with her fighting spirit.”