Louise Keogh introduced Karen Marsh who is one of her dearest and oldest friends, having met 30 years ago. They partied hard and lived together prior to them both getting married in 1990.

Karen was born in Heyfield and when she was 5 years old her parents separated, and she moved to Terang. Four years later Karen moved to Warrnambool and she lived with her grandmother who raised her. Karen went to Jamieson Street Primary School then attended Warrnambool High School. She successfully completed her nursing training at Warrnambool Base Hospital, then at age 23 moved to Perth and lived there for six years.

Karen returned to Ballarat and completed a Gerontics course at Queen Elizabeth Gerontics Centre, before moving back to Warrnambool in 1980. Karen worked at Lyndoch as Unit Nurse Manager for 18 years. In that time she met her ex-husband Ken and had two children - Stephen who is 24 years of age and Alexandra 22. Whilst still nursing and raising her children, Karen assisted with reading at the primary school, plus helped students requiring assistance with developing literacy skills in preparation for secondary school.

Karen was retrenched in 2000 from Lyndoch along with three other people, which wiped out nearly 60 years of experience from the staff who worked there. Karen worked at Port Fairy Hostel, then Gillan Park, before Karen and Louise co-owned Mikalos Restaurant for three years.

Karen separated from Ken in 2005 and had to recommence working at Lyndoch as a permanent night duty Associate Nurse Manager-Unit Manager in 2006. Karen is still working at Lyndoch and has just recently changed areas in which she is working at Lyndoch but still night duty.

In 2014 Karen also started working extra nights at Cobden District Health Services to help support Alexandra, her daughter who had commenced university at RMT Melbourne, but she has since transferred back here to Deakin Warrnambool.

Karen's working career has been in age care for the past 40 years. A wonderful caring and devoted mother, sister and friend to many, Karen has held the hand of many elderly patients in their final days.

Karen is warmly welcomed to the Rotary Club of Warrnambool.

The Chair John Hunt Introduced Jules Threlfall-Ryan, our guest speaker. As Jules is a hairdresser, and chatting is a crucial part of the trade, John thought he would get the best out of Jules if she was in a hairdressing environment. Volunteers were called for and Louise was the lucky "hairdressee" and microphone holder while Jules was interviewed by John.

Jules (Julie) was born on 21 October 1966 at St John of God Hospital in Warrnambool to parents Marie and Tony Trelfall. Her siblings are Peter and Jane. She grew up in Ballengeih on a sheep/cattle farm and went to Ellerslie Primary School until moving to Warrnambool when she was 10. She attended St Pius Primary School and then St Ann's College. She left school at the end of Year 10 and started a 4 year hairdressing apprenticeship at Barb's Hairdressing doing both men and ladies. At 19 she opened her first salon "Julie's Cut 'n Comb" in Morris Road, Warrnambool.

She married Wayne Ryan at 21 and after 4 years, sold the salon and traveled the east coast of Australia for 14 months, working along the way doing haircuts in various caravan parks. She spent 5 months in Queensland working as a hostess on a cruise boat that did day trips to Sanctuary Cove and private charters for various people, including groups of Japanese - very challenging 22 Japanese people to lunch when they couldn't speak English and Julie couldn't speak Japanese. Ordering meals was entertaining!

Home after 14 months Jules worked with Jane McNeil for 12 months, then back to Queensland for 12 months, then home again. She bought Deejay's Cafe in Kepler Street which they had for 1 years and sold when Jack, first son, was born in 1993. Tom followed in 1994, Will came along in 1997 and Harry in 2001. Always worked from home around the boys.

Wayne and Jules separated 11 years ago and remain good friends.

She re-started Julie's Cut 'n Comb as a complete salon from home 4 years ago on Donovan's Road and does some mobile hairdressing. She does voluntary hairdressing in palliative care that she has been doing for 8 years.

Her 3 older sons all live independently and Harry lives with Jules and her partner of 5 years, Dion Symons.

Following the interview, there was a pile of blonde hair on the floor and Louise looked a treat, proving beyond any doubt that Jules is multi-skilled and can do three things at the same time, talk, cut hair and drink wine! Thank you for sharing your story Jules.