Hi, my name is Nayda Hernandez, and I will be interviewing and writing an article each month about the everyday champions that we find in our local community.
My goal is to shine a light on those quiet achievers who do great works for others, those local heroes that go about their day giving up their time and skills to better the lives of those around us. I want the community to be inspired by these champions and invite you to reach out if you can help or know someone who needs a helping hand.
My passion is to bring our community and its residents together. I encourage you to contact me if you know a local champion that I can shine a light on that lives in the catchment of the Springfield News, Lake News or Logan West News areas on 0424 404 303.
Kylie Gates is a local mother of two boys that has lived in the Forest Lake area for more than a decade. She has dedicated her career and volunteer work to helping those less fortunate and initiating small to large community projects that bring people together. She has worked in sales, The RSL Sub-Branch, and currently for YoungCare. Her passion to be involved and be part of the P&C dates back to when she completed her primary schooling in Darra. She witnessed firsthand through her mother being involved the difference that P&C’s make in the lives of school children. That’s why she has held numerous executive positions in her lifetime, some of her fondest memories come from being elected on the Grand Avenue State School P&C as the secretary, and currently as Forest Lake State High School Vice-president. In her role she helps make decisions to improve the lives of students, parents and carers. Kylie is the proud founder and coordinator of the Forest Lake Community Festival, the inaugural Forest Lake Show and Shine car show held on March 26th, the upcoming movie night and more. In addition, she helps others with their events, including the Eggstravaganza event on April 2. She is a local through and through who wants to make sure her local community continues to thrive!
In this article, Kylie explains her passion to bring people together and her plans for the future.
What inspires you to do more?
I’m inspired by residents and visitors to our area saying how much they love our community. I love raising my two sons in Forest Lake and enjoy how much residents love living in the area and their ideas about what projects they want to see hosted. That’s why I put up a post on our Forest Lake community page about what projects people would like to see happen in the area. Our community has grown so much, and I find myself talking to new residents all the time. I feel our community’s diversity is something we can be very proud of.
As the founder of the Forest Lake Community Festival, what do think this means to the community?
Covid-19 had a huge impact on young and old residents’ mental health, and financially. I saw firsthand the struggles our students and their families were going through and are still going through. Many lost their jobs, some lost families to depression, their homes. I couldn’t sit back and not do something. I found myself telling myself that I would host a free event that would bring families together. That’s why I started the Forest Lake Community Festival. I couldn’t believe thousands of people attended and all the positive feedback. That’s why I have committed to doing a bigger and better festival this year with the help of some amazing friends who also volunteer their time. This is going to be a yearly free event that brings our very diverse and multicultural community, and businesses together. I can’t thank the sponsors, Brisbane City Council, Heritage Bank Community Branch Forest Lake and local businesses who made it possible enough.
What are a few other projects that you are undertaking for the community?
I have raised with council that residents and myself would like to see approved pest fishing at the lake parklands. This will stop or minimize the illegal pest fishing that is happening at the lake. I have been actively talking with the local Councillor about how we can work together to make this happen and issue raised in my community online survey. It was great to see so many responses and suggestions made online in the comments section. Other future projects include seeing how we can help residents with their parking issues.
This is regularly brought up with me, especially when it comes to hosting large events. I am thinking about, also, how I can co-ordinate events that also address looking after our environment and stop bad development. Our community has a unique look that shouldn’t be ruined by badly designed buildings.
