2019 MENZIES COMMUNITY AUSTRALIA DAY AWARDS

26 January 2019

Today, Australia Day, three of our members were presented with their Menzies Community Australia Day Awards at a ceremony in the Manningham Function Centre.
Congratulations to Bob Byron, Gerda Van der Peet and Trevor Dawson who were honoured for their service to the local community.

One by one their community participation and their achievements were announced by the Hon. Kevin Andrews, and in front of over 600 attendees they accepted their framed award.

Both Gerda’s and Bob’s achievements concentrated on the bowls club with all the different Committees they have both served on, often chairing, and their wins both inside and outside. The fact that this calendar year Bob was made a Life Member was mentioned, as was his mentoring. Kevin Andrews said after reading all of Gerda’s competition wins and runners up results that if he ever joins a bowling club he wants Gerda as his coach.

Trevor’s Award was instigated by Templestowe Rotary, because in the last 29 years he has been President, Vice President and Chairman of various committees within that Club. He has been Chairman of the District conference twice, and the Vice Chairman of  the Art Building Children’s Dreams and the District Chairman of the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund.  He also co-chaired the Templestowe Primary Schools speech competition and is now assisting in the planning for the Doncaster Schools Competition. Trevor also has been awarded five Paul Harris Fellow Awards AND is a Companion of the Order of Australia. When his contributions to Doncaster and Donvale Bowls Clubs were added it showed just what a quiet unassuming person does for our community.

Several invited members of the Bowls Club attended along with the recipients partners and family. We clapped and sang and waved our flags, because we were, and are, so proud of our three friends. Then we had an Aussie BBQ…..sausages with tomato sauce and lamingtons.

Once again CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU Gerda, Bob and Trevor for the time spent over the years to make our community a better place…..Lyn Goodman.