When friends and acquaintances think about past Chanel College student, Colleen Kleinschmidt (previously Colleen Rippingale), they might remember how much she hated PE – especially running.
Would you believe me if I told you Colleen now lives in Boston USA and is about to compete in her third marathon? But, not just any marathon – one of the world’s most famous and oldest annual races – The Boston Marathon.
Let’s hear what Colleen is up to these days:
How would people remember you from your school days?
Anyone who knew me as a child in Gladstone might be surprised to know I’m a runner now – I hated PE at school and definitely wasn’t interested in running. This will be my third marathon and I also completed two ultra marathons last year. I also never imagined I’d be living in Boston so I guess you never know where life might take you.
Definitely not sporty AT ALL but I danced a little. I was somewhat academic but not the highest achiever there.
What inspired the move to Boston in 2021?
My husband Tristan (from Hervey Bay) works for a global company and they asked him to transfer to North America. Prior to that, we were in Singapore and before that Brisbane. Being on a spouse visa meant I couldn’t work immediately so I got into volunteering and decided to continue even after my work permit was approved. Now I treat volunteering as my primary job working for the Red Cross 20-30 hours a week.
I volunteer with the American Red Cross of Massachusetts as a production manager in their Boston Food Pantry providing approximately 3000 grocery packages every week.
Tell us about your family?
My immediate household is just my husband and I – he’s a Data Scientist for a large consulting firm. In Gladstone, I think my family – the Rippingales – are reasonably well known. Mum and dad have been there 50 years or so!
Explain the needs you meet through the Red Cross work in the US compared to what you’ve experienced in Australia.
No matter where you are in the world we all have the same needs – safety, food, clean water, and shelter. The scale of food insecurity is different here – the population of greater Boston is over five million so there’s a lot of people in need.
Team Red Cross at the Boston Marathon consists of 60 runners and we are each raising USD$10,000. I’m in week 10 of a 14-week training program with the big day on April 15th.
What do you miss about Oz or the Gladstone region?
I miss being a short drive or flight away from family. Being on the other side of the world makes it harder to visit regularly. Boston winter sometimes makes me long for that Queensland warmth and sunshine. And coffee! There’s nothing like a good Aussie café.
