ENTREPRENEUR and design guru Liv Lorkin realised the chilly weather Ballarat for which this city is so renowned can be fun when you embrace it.
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Ms Lorkin said the Ballarat cold was undoubtedly a talking point that continues well beyond the region's boundaries and so she wrote, illustrated and produced a children's book Winter in Ballarat with two characters who know how to have fun about town - even at its chilliest.
The process in bringing the story to print was just as important to Liv as her cute characters with a strong focus on creating a Ballarat-made product.
The Tech Studio founder and State Emergency Service deputy controller for Ballarat attributes a lot of inspiration behind the book's making to Leadership Ballarat and Western Region leaders' forum, an experiential program now known as Committee for Ballarat's Future Shapers.
It would have been impossible to me to write a book about Ballarat and not have it published locally.
- Liv Lorkin
"For me to go through the program, it really instills a sense of community and supporting local. It would have been impossible to me to write a book about Ballarat and not have it published locally," Ms Lorkin said. "The impact in supporting local is also buying the book local and giving back to community."
Ms Lorkin grew up in Heathcote, south-east of Bendigo, and moved to Ballarat where she completed an undergraduate biomedicine degree at Federation University. She went on to co-found Tech Studio in Ballarat where she also juggles SES duties and writing as a creative outlet.
Working in the design industry allowed Ms Lorkin what she said was the luxury of partnerships with printers and an understanding in copyright. While a lengthy process, Ms Lorkin can hardly wait to re-visit her characters in a self-published Christmas edition with some proceeds to go to charity.
IN OTHER NEWS
Ms Lorkin (LBWR 2019) was a guest speaker for a Future Shapers' alumni event alongside The Courier former editor Angela Carey (2006) and cleaning business owner and gym owner Dylan Lesock (20017). She said the experience encouraged her to think even bigger about community and the role she could play.
"One of the main things I took away was reigniting that spark that comes when you hear other stories from similar and like-minded people," Ms Lorkin said. "There are many ways to share ideas and causes in how to bring community together."
There are many ways to share ideas and causes in how to bring community together.
- Liv Lorkin
Ms Carey shared her leadership experience in serving on St Patrick's College board during the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the ripple effects this had on the wider community.
For Mr Lesock, his leadership has been tested as an employer of 60 people during the pandemic.
Committee for Ballarat is planning a series of similar alumni reflection and networking events.
Meanwhile, Winter in Ballarat is available from Collins Booksellers Ballarat on Lydiard and Bridge Mall and The Independent Bookstore in Skipton Street, Ballarat Central.
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