Shine on Awards
The Shine On Awards recognise the achievements of people who have not allowed their disability to impede the attainment of their lifetime ambitions, and to inspire and encourage others to achieve similar goals.
(Lifted from the Whitehorse Leader)
SEEING his son’s name next to his own on the honour board at their local bowls club means the world to Blackburn father Ron Farmer.
Mr Farmer and his son Wayne, 46, recently won the Blackburn Bowls Club Pairs Championship - the first time in the club’s history a father and son team have won the title.
But the win was particularly special for the Farmers because Wayne was born with Down syndrome and was not expected to live past birth.
“I’ve dropped a few tears over this,” Mr Farmer said. “This means everything to me (because) what we were told in those early days means you don’t expect to be able to do much with your son.
“But as a family, we have done a lot of things together over the years. Now we get our names together on the honour board.”
Mr Farmer has bowled for about 40 years and Wayne joined him in the sport about 10 years ago.
Wayne, who has represented Victoria in lawn bowls for several years, said his dad was his favourite person to play with and he was in tears when they won the title.
"My dad is my coach (and) I thought we would win it easy,” he said.
Wayne works Nadrasca Disability Service and is also a keen basketballer.