An event that promotes community support and resilience, especially for those affected by loss and hardship since the 2019-20 bushfires, will be held later this month.
Returning for the fourth year, the Corryong Spirit is a night where people can connect, share experiences, enjoy live music and engage with powerful messages from guest speakers. There is also an option to gather around an open firepit whilst catching up with friends or merely reflecting. The aim of this event is to nurture a sense of belonging and community.
One of the main speakers for the 2025 event is James Greenshields who was born in Corryong and raised south of Seymour. He is a former Australian Army Officer with 17 years of service including leading more than 100 soldiers in Iraq and navigating the profound personal challenges that followed.
Over the past 15 years, James has channelled his experiences into transformative work as co-founder and lead facilitator of Leadership and Men’s Wellbeing at the Emergent Leaders Foundation. Drawing on a decade of guiding youth through rites of passage, collaborating with First Nations communities worldwide and applying leadership insights from battlefields, boardrooms and professional sports he has pioneered a ground-breaking approach – Harmonic Leadership.
For the last three years, James has empowered Australian communities to achieve self-sufficiency by fostering conscious leadership and building resilient frameworks for growth. A devoted husband of more than 20 years and proud father of two daughters, James is also an international bestselling author and a founding member of the Global Wellness Institute’s Men’s Wellbeing Initiative.
Joining James as a speaker is Nick Steain, an actor, comedian, and writer. Nick speaks candidly about overcoming hardship, building resilience, embracing vulnerability and navigating the uncertainties of the future. His personal insights are sure to inspire.
Corryong Spirit will be held on Friday August 15th from 5pm to 7.30pm at the Upper Murray Events Centre. Warm beverages will be available from Cozza Coffee and food from Sacred Heart School.
This article appeared in Corryong Courier, 31 July 2025.
