5 March 2024
International Women’s Day provides a moment to make special mention of the incredible women within our Regis community who have pioneered the path for others to follow. We’re proud to share their stories and hope to inspire women to live boldly and lead authentic lives true to their passions.
Meet Valmai, a 79-year-old resident at Regis Marleston who has lived an inspirational and impactful life and is proud to share her experiences with others.
Growing up in Adelaide Hills, Valmai was a natural dancer, particularly talented at ballet and ballroom dancing in her younger years. She worked several jobs throughout her time. Her first job was at a shoe company as a salesperson before becoming a cashier.
She later worked at a restaurant in Adelaide as a kitchen hand, proving herself to be a valuable employee, when the chef took her under his wing and mentored her cooking journey. Developing her culinary skills, learning about all things food and cooking, she became the chef’s offsider and cooked for him for years.
She worked at one of Australia’s largest pastoral industry leaders and then moved to the Mount Victorian homestead working as a cook and housekeeper. Valmai ended up working as a chef for 26 years.
“For all the roles I have undertaken, being a chef was my favourite,” Valmai said.
However, her greatest career achievement came later in life. After her time working as a chef, Valmai joined the Welfare Club at her children’s school.
”This career change felt perfectly natural to me because I wanted to be present while my two children were at school,” she said.
For more than a decade, she served as the Area President for more than 15 schools in the Adelaide Hills district. Her passion for children’s wellbeing grew during this time. During those years, Valmai worked towards separating girls’ and boys’ toilets in primary schools and promoting phonics as a method for teaching children to read. She even visited the State Parliament office to advocate for these initiatives which eventually passed through State Government.
“This was my greatest achievement,” Valmai said.
She then moved onto her final role becoming a carer in aged care until retiring.
Valmai’s contributions throughout her career have been exemplarily and a motivation for other women. Everyone who crosses paths with her only has exceptional words to say about her.
“Valmai is an inspiration because she has led a fairly tough life and come out stronger from it,” Carol the Lifestyle Coordinator at Regis Marleston said. “She inspires me to keep going even when things get tough.
“It is her adaptability which I find most fascinating and admirable.”
