By Mikayla van Loon
Volunteers from across the Casey district have been recognised for their contributions to the community by Federal MP Aaron Violi.
Among the 41 individuals and four community groups were members of Girl Guides, Men’s Sheds, Scouts, Lilydale Judo, Holy Fools, Caladenia Dementia Care, Mount Evelyn RSL and the Lilydale and Yarra Valley Show.
Of those acknowledged, 12 represent the Yarra Ranges District Girl Guides from clubs right across the region.
District manager Sandy McElroy said the recognition she wanted to bestow on these leaders was not only for the contribution they make to Guides but their other roles in the community.
“Sometimes it’s not just Guides that they’re involved in. One of our leaders is also a CFA member, another one is involved with the Celebrate Mooroolbark Festival so they are in the community in a lot of ways,” she said.
“We can’t recognise that within the Guides’ good service awards because it’s all about guides. So to have the community say good job, it is nice to be recognised like that.”
Not only did Sandy want to nominate the volunteer leaders who support the Girl Guides tirelessly but also acknowledge their partners who also give up a lot.
“I nominated Philip and a couple of the other husbands because a lot of our work if we didn’t have our husbands supporting us, wouldn’t have happened.”
Having thought she had gone through the process of nominating the leaders quite secretively, Sandy wasn’t expecting to receive an award herself.
“That was a bit of a surprise for me, it came as a bit of a shock. I was there just to support all the leaders and they called my name out,” she said.
“I thought I was being very secretive and giving all leaders a surprise, only to find they surprised me as well. So that was a bit of a bit of a laugh.”
These awards, Sandy said, were recognition for the endless amounts of work the leaders put in over the pandemic lockdowns and this year to ensure the girls made up for lost time.
Lilydale Judo Club coach of over 10 years Rodney Cox was also one of the people recognised, alongside fellow coach Franc D’Couto.
“Apart from the fact it was a complete surprise, it’s just nice to have a bit of community recognition. It also lets the community know that there is a judo club there,” he said.
Rodney began practicing judo in 1964 and is currently a 5th dan black belt, who loves passing on his skills to the younger grades.
“You get to make contact with lots of lots of kids and see them develop from maybe just being a bit uncoordinated to being really smooth in the movement and skillful,” he said.
“I love seeing the kids develop from running around just not knowing what on earth to do, to being able to apply a really skillful movement, which means they’ve put in some hard work and they’ve really learnt something.”
Judo is not only about learning the techniques of throwing and grappling but picking each other up after a fight.
“Judo basically means working at your most efficient and working together with people. So the two mottos of judo are maximum efficiency and mutual welfare. So they are the two things that you can learn to work efficiently and learn to work with people and help each other.”
For Aaron Violi who presented the awards, he said volunteers and community groups are the heart of Casey.
“We are fortunate to have so many passionate locals working to strengthen our communities,” he said.
“They give so much of their time and energy to the Casey community, it’s important that they have their hard work recognised and rewarded.”
Those recognised:
Lee Kirkby (past president, Montrose Men’s Shed)
Samantha Curley (Mooroolbark Girl Guides)
Hayley Ennis (Mooroolbark Dragon Guides/Chirnside Park CFA)
Jenny Haley (Montrose and Seville Scouts)
Philip McElroy (Mooroolbark Girl Guides)
Marie and Chris Mutton (Mooroolbark Girl Guides)
Tracie Owens (1st Lilydale Scout Group, Cub Scout Leader at Seville Scouts)
Jaydine and Nathan Rumney (Mooroolbark Girl Guides)
Rhonda Carson (Volunteer, Caladenia Dementia Care)
John and Rosemary Haysom (Caladenia Dementia Care)
Elyse Schoch (Youth Leader, Mt Evelyn Girl Guides)
Cos Ruscitti (Vice-president and maintenance, Lilydale Yarra Valley Show)
John Allwood (Mt Evelyn RSL)
Deb McLeod (Holy Fools)
Deborah Hamilton (Holy Fools)
Rachel Ryan (Holy Fools)
