What I See with Peter Fiorenza: To the people who move to Geraldton, bringing with them special skills

Often in a community, and particularly in Geraldton, organisations tend to source support for projects or events outside of town. On most occasions this is due to an assumption that because the person or outfit is from Perth it must be better than what’s available here, or that product or service cannot be sourced here. As Geraldton continues to grow, there are a lot of businesses open that can provide knowledge and expertise that was not previously available, and, also, there are individuals who come to town with some special skillsets. In fact, a lot of the time we really don’t know about such people until we come across them. And case in point, is a new acquaintance I have made. Russell McKinnon is a New Zealander who now resides here in the Mid West. I first met Russell at a social business gathering about two years ago, when he came up and introduced himself to me. He immediately sparked my interest, when he mentioned that he worked in sport and even more so, when he mentioned media. This larger-than-life character is actually one of the most credentialed water polo people in the world. I know that is somewhat of a big call, but it indeed is very true. His business card reads: “Russell McKinnon — Writer, Author, Editor, Photographer” and on the reverse of the card, it states his business name and what he specialises in. This includes major event organising worldwide, sports and event photography, historical writing, and the list continues. Russell’s passion with water polo has seen him attend several Olympic Games and World Championships. And he doesn’t just work on the sidelines. He has been involved as both a player and top-flight referee. Most recently, Russell was in Tokyo as water polo’s main correspondent to the rest of the world. The man, who has a bigger than life persona, is currently part of swimming’s world governing body, FINA, and has had experiences you could include in a book. Whenever you are in Russell’s company he will often relate situations to a story from his fascinating career. I once referred to Prince Albert of Monaco in relation to his involvement in the Olympic Games. “Interesting you say that,” Russell said. “He came along to one of the matches in Tokyo and said G’day”. Yes, the man now lives in Geraldton, and because of advancements in technology, he can tune in to and report about anything happening in the world of water polo from the comfort of his living room. Without doubt, there are plenty of other people who move into our community and bring to us special skills we need to harness. And to top it all off, Russell is a top bloke too. Peter Fiorenza is host of Fiorenza on Sunday between 10am and noon on Radio MAMA