Mira Smrdel, rojena v Pivki na Primorskem, je prišla v Avstralijo 1972. leta. Z možem Mirotom sta hitro navezala stike s Slovenci prvo pri verskem središču v Merrylands-u in nato pri slovenskem društvu Sydney. Po petih letih se je vključila v balinarsko sekcijo, kjer se je na njeno pobudo organiziral ženski krožek, ki je skrbel, da je bila za člane in goste v kuhinji na razpolago dobra domača hrana. Posebno v času gradnje novih društvenih prostorov med 1993 in 1996-tim letom je bilo veliko dela, saj so ženske kuhale hrano za delavce v starem domu v Horsley Parku in jo potem prevažale v novi dom v Wetheril Park. Mira si je za ta namen velikokrat izposodila možev kombi, ker je bil njen avto enostvno premajhen.

1999. leta je bila izvoljena kot predsednica Slovenskega društva Sydney. Pod njenim vodstvom je društvo med številnim drugimi dogodki zelo uspešno praznovalo 45. letnico društvenega delovanja ter avstralsko olimpijado, ko so bile zahteve še posebno visoke. Vrstili so se obiski visokih gostov, športnikov, slovenskih olimpijcev, ansamblov in raznih drugih kulturnih skupin.

Po krajšem odmoru in po smrti predsednika Ivana Koželja konec lanskega leta, se je Mira ponovno vključila v odbor in je danes podpredsednica društva.

Mira se nikoli ne ustraši težkega dela, pa naj je to kuhanje, priprava dvorane, čiščenje, prevoz gostov, ali pa zahtevna klubska administracija. Mirina ljubezen do Slovencev in vsega, kar je slovenskega v Sydneyu in v Avstraliji, se ne čuti samo v njenih besedah, temveč se izraža v njenem neutrudnem in vsestranskem delu za dobrobit nas vseh.

Mira Smrdel, born in Pivka, Slovenia, arrived in Australia in 1972 with her husband Miro.

She became involved with the Slovenian community first at the Slovenian church at Merrylands and at the Slovenian Association Sydney. Here she had joined the Bocce group. Soon after she organized a volunteer group of ladies, who have helped with the organization of cultural events and who also looked after the kitchen, cooking and serving home-cooked meals. That was especially demanding during the building of the new club. She often had to borrow her husband’s Kombi to carry food from the old club to the new one.

In 1999, Mira was elected as the President of the Slovenian Association Sydney, a position she held for 5 years. During her presidency, a number of important events took place, such as the well presented 45th anniversary of Slovenian Association. and Sydney Olympics with its special demands. There were many visitors from high government officials, visiting olympic competitors, ensembles, and other cultural events.

After a short break and after Ivan Kozelj passed away, Mira once again became a member of the Club’s Committee, this time as the Vice President..

Mira has spent a great part of her life in Australia working for the preservation of the Slovenian Heritage and Slovenian culture and her work in the Slovenian community has been well documented over the years. She was never afraid of hard work. She would do the cooking, cleaning, prepare the hall for different cultural events, drive visitors around Sydney, or handle the ever more demanding administration of the Slovenian Club. Apart from that, she was regularly employed elsewhere, as well as being a caring and loving wife and mother.

Congratulations, Mira, and thank you.