Langhorne Creek local Lisa Bennier, CEO of the Wine Grape Council of South Australia, shares a deeply personal moment in her life with the caring community reminding her of what we are all fighting for.
As a very proud Langhorne Creek local, I thought I’d share a little good-news story that was incredibly personal to me this week, but also reminded me why our grape and wine regions and the communities within them matter so much — particularly when viewed through the two different hats I wear.
Recently my Mum passed away and last Friday, we held her ‘Celebration of Life’ at the Langhorne Creek Football Clubrooms.
Mum moved our family to Langhorne Creek in 1982 when she purchased the freehold of the Langhorne Creek Hotel, and later married a local Potts descendant.
It was perfect that Robbie Potts from Bleasdale MC’d her celebration.
Robbie was a regular at the pub back in the ’80s and has since always been part of our extended family.
Greg ‘Turtle’ Follett from Lake Breeze volunteered his time to work the open bar (naturally as an ex publican Mum would want an open Bar).
Greg might have been underage in Mum’s pub days, but his brother Roger was one of Mum’s favourites – even after fooling her into believing he was 18 for a whole year when he was actually only 17!
Even though Mum no longer lived in Langhorne Creek, more than 40 years later, those connections are still there and various Follett, Schmidt, Potts connections all donated wine for her send-off – priceless.
That’s Langhorne Creek.
Then on Sunday, I saw the attached photo shared on social media on the Langhorne Creek Football Club socials.
It was taken at the GSFL elimination finals at Strathalbyn Oval on Sunday.
Langhorne Creek’s B Grade had won their elimination final and, rather than disappearing off to celebrate, the players and supporters gathered behind the boundary to throw everything behind the A Grade.
And there they were, packed together above the Bleasdale sign, supporting their mates as the A Grade went on to win against another great South Australian grape and wine community, Willunga.
It’s a terrific photo, but to me it captures much more than country football.
That brings me to my other hat, as CEO of the Wine Grape Council of South Australia.
My job is to advocate for and support grapegrowers across all South Australia’s grape and wine regions.
At the moment that’s a hard gig, and, at times, an almost thankless role.
There are no easy answers to what our growers and industry are facing but I like many keep trying to get the support we need.
And I know Langhorne Creek isn’t unique.
Versions of these moments happen across the Barossa, Riverland, Clare, Coonawarra, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Limestone Coast and our other grapegrowing communities throughout South Australia.
Our grape and wine industry isn’t just tonnes, prices, exports and economic contribution.
It is people, families, footy clubs, pubs, volunteers, businesses and generations of connection that support each other.
At a time when our industry is facing some very real challenges, it’s worth remembering what is actually at stake if we don’t find a way through them – but also what an extraordinary foundation these communities give us to build from and genuinely care for each other.
For me, last weekend was a pretty powerful reminder of both.
Sometimes one photo epitomises our grape and wine regions, their people and their communities better than any regional or industry report ever could.
Despite our Industry challenges, I’m so grateful I get to live in such a great community.
RIP Mum and go the Hawks.
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