Benny – “I was born and bred in Lismore 50 years ago and have lived here all my life. I went to St Carthages when I was in Kindergarten, I also went to Wilson Park Special School then Lismore High for a little while. When I turned 18 I started working out here at The House with No Steps. I’ve been here for 32 years. It’s called Summerland House Farm now. I started in the farm picking fruit and chipping pineapples then I started working in the nursery. I’ve been on the garden crew and the packing shed packing Avocados, Custard Apples and lots of other fruit and vegetables. The Avo’s are grown here.
I’m working in the restaurant now and on odd days I work out at The Lismore Recycling depot for Lismore City Council sorting out the rubbish. Not very nice when people put dirty nappies and sometimes needles or asbestos in their recycling bin. They don’t realise that we sort it all out by hand.
On a Monday or Friday I phone 2LM Radio at 6.30am to put my footy tips in. Neil Marks and I have a little bet ourselves and we have a bit of banter. I also talk about what’s happening here at the farm. On the weekends I do my shopping downtown, maybe have a beer at a local pub and play golden oldies rugby union. I’m a Marist Brothers supporter and life member. I have a ram hat. I also cook the Barbie at the home games and on Friday nights I go to the Heights Bowling Club and help them out with the raffles, bagging the meat trays, just helping with whatever they need. I also did the worlds greatest shave and I raised money for Phuket after the tsunami.
Every two years a heap of us who work here at the House with no Steps go on a holiday. Next year we go to Tasmania. We’ve been to Bali, Phuket, Singapore, Noumea, America, Fiji, New Zealand. We all save up and go as a group, about 40 of us.
When I retire I think I might do love jobs off my own back like cleaning headstones in cemeteries. Scrubbing them clean and making it nice and tidy for people to visit their loved ones.
My dad died at 47. I had to look after mum for a long time and then mum died about 7 years ago so I live by myself now. I like serving customers, meeting and greeting customers and waiting on tables. If I wasn’t working here I would probably be downtown looking for something to do. I like it here with the working team and the supervisors.
One thing I forget to tell you is I’m single! (laughs).”
I’m working in the restaurant now and on odd days I work out at The Lismore Recycling depot for Lismore City Council sorting out the rubbish. Not very nice when people put dirty nappies and sometimes needles or asbestos in their recycling bin. They don’t realise that we sort it all out by hand.
On a Monday or Friday I phone 2LM Radio at 6.30am to put my footy tips in. Neil Marks and I have a little bet ourselves and we have a bit of banter. I also talk about what’s happening here at the farm. On the weekends I do my shopping downtown, maybe have a beer at a local pub and play golden oldies rugby union. I’m a Marist Brothers supporter and life member. I have a ram hat. I also cook the Barbie at the home games and on Friday nights I go to the Heights Bowling Club and help them out with the raffles, bagging the meat trays, just helping with whatever they need. I also did the worlds greatest shave and I raised money for Phuket after the tsunami.
Every two years a heap of us who work here at the House with no Steps go on a holiday. Next year we go to Tasmania. We’ve been to Bali, Phuket, Singapore, Noumea, America, Fiji, New Zealand. We all save up and go as a group, about 40 of us.
When I retire I think I might do love jobs off my own back like cleaning headstones in cemeteries. Scrubbing them clean and making it nice and tidy for people to visit their loved ones.
My dad died at 47. I had to look after mum for a long time and then mum died about 7 years ago so I live by myself now. I like serving customers, meeting and greeting customers and waiting on tables. If I wasn’t working here I would probably be downtown looking for something to do. I like it here with the working team and the supervisors.
One thing I forget to tell you is I’m single! (laughs).”