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| “I retired six years ago but I haven’t found out what that is yet. I’m presently involved with seven charities [in NSW’s mid-north coast]. I’ve been the Chairman of a Rotary District Bowelscan Committee for 20 years. We’ve donated more than $150,000 to medical research into prostate and bowel cancers, as well as malaria awareness. Camp Memories, of which I’m co-founder along with my wife May, is for disabled children and their families. It came about after I built our new home. I have a grandson in a wheelchair so the house is completely accessible. One day, May was looking out the window and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be good to have tents out here so we can have a camp?’ I’ve been with The Salvation Army for 12 years. I’m on the management |
committee and began by updating our meeting hall to meet fire regulations because I have a building background. I also have experience in the motor industry training mechanics. I like to apply what I know and have the satisfaction of completing something. May and I work together as a team. The NRMA Helping People Award was given to me because I was nominated, but we work together as a couple and we couldn’t do the work we do without each other. My neighbour nominated me for the award and my initial response was ‘that’s a lovely thought but don’t worry about it’. Winning the trip to Gallipoli was such a humbling experience. We were certainly moved by the dawn service and |
Lone Pine – that really got to me. The $10,000 I won to give to a charity of my choice was used to buy access chairs for beaches near Taree. They’re so people in wheelchairs can get onto the beach.The chair transfers them onto the sand and they can then take it along the water. There is a downside to charity work. Some people go away on annual holidays while we put our money to buy petrol to serve people. But money isn’t necessarily important to us. We are blessed with good health and can help people who have poor health and need help. If I have a skill and can help, I do. It doesn’t have to be a charity, it can be my neighbour.” Photo of beach access chair Manning River Times |
