Shayne Prater was born in Albury, grew up on a property in Holbrook, home-schooled there for her primary school years until a family move to Albury where she attended Albury High School. Shayne has lived in Chiltern for close to seven years. What did you do workwise? I was a medical secretary for an Albury specialist for several years and then a receptionist for GPs for many years until retirement. For several years in my ‘spare time’ I sold Australian made shoes - Laura Bernini – via a party plan plus worked part-time as a receptionist at the Albury After Hours Clinic. What led you to your role/career and what did you love about your work? I think that the reason I chose working in the medical field was because I cared and wanted to help and support people. I loved my work because it was so rewarding. What do you do in the community? Until retirement I unfortunately didn’t have time to volunteer but knew that as soon as I did, I wanted to volunteer and give back to the community which turned out to happen in beautiful Chiltern. I am now coordinator at the Chiltern Op Shop which I love and meeting people who pop in whether it is for a chat or to help find a ‘treasure’. I also help at ‘Dreams Can Come True Formal Wear Hire.’ It’s a fantastic community project started by Josie Cornish OAM in Beechworth about three years ago. She moved back to Melbourne and the dresses are now available in Chiltern. We have some great volunteers to help people with fittings. This is so rewarding especially watching ‘the debutants to be’ trying on dresses as well as brides, and formal dresses for mothers of a debutante or bride. We can even help people going on a cruise who need a formal dress or two. All dress hires are very affordable and have been donated in fantastic condition - some still with the shop labels. Is there an important community issue that you think needs addressing? Stop signs at the intersection of Main and Conness Streets. There are very few vehicles that actually stop, and I see it so often as the Op Shop is close by. All the locals are very concerned that one day there will be a major accident. There are cars that have already been written off because the sign has been disrespected. What would you do to solve change or improve that situation? We have an amazing local who has been getting petitions signed and notifying VicRoads and keeping Indigo Shire in the loop. What do you see as one of the most important current world issues? There are unfortunately so many important world issues that I am not sure where I can start. I just worry so much about all the young people in the world and the challenges they are or will be facing in the future. If the person you would most like to meet came to Indigo Shire (past or present), or was already here, who would that be, what would you show them, and why? I would love to spend at least one whole day with all my grandchildren together in Chiltern so I could explore all there is around the town with so much history through their eyes. What book are you reading? I belong to a Book Club and am between books but I’m about to start ‘The Colony’ by Irish author Audrey McGee which I am looking forward to.
