By Nick Wakeling MP
On 1 July in 1851, Victoria was declared a separate colony to New South Wales, and ‘Victoria Day’ was celebrated as a public holiday on 1 July each year until the First World War.
To mark the 15th Annual Knox Victoria Day Awards, Nick Wakeling MP along with Kim Wells MP jointly celebrated Victoria Day by recognising the hard work and dedication of the wonderful volunteers in the Knox community.
Every community group recognises a special and important member of their own organisation to receive an award. Each member has gone above and beyond what is normally expected of a volunteer and has been chosen for their extraordinary contribution to the Knox community.
This year, forty-one recipients from across Knox were recognised. These outstanding volunteers have provided thousands of their own hours benefiting the Knox Community. This year’s recipients were drawn from a wide range of community groups, whether they are sporting, service, religious, emergency, support, or neighbourhood groups. As a local State Member of Parliament, I believe it is fitting to recognise and sincerely thank these recipients for their selfless contributions to our community.
I would also like to take this opportunity to recognise and thank our sponsor the Community Bank Group, Fern Tree Gully and Rowville branches who have sponsored this event since its inception in 2008.
Nick Wakeling is State MP for Ferntree Gully
2022 Knox Victoria Day Award Recipients
- Ann Bailey, Ferntree Gully Tennis Club
- Anne-Marie Balej, Knox Churches Soccer Club
- Damian Bardsley, Scoresby Football Club
- Renate Beilharz, Temple Society Australia
- Christopher Boddy, Knox Historical Society
- Nicky Carter, Boronia RSL
- John Chai, Boronia Lions Club Inc.
- Jeff Copolov, Knox Taekwondo Academy
- Jenny Crosby, Johnson Park Cricket Club
- Roslyn Edgar, Boronia Calisthenics College
- Graeme Elliott, Boronia CFA
- Moyra Farrington, Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve
- Wes Gleeson, Wantirna Lions Club Inc.
- Rosina Gosling, Ferntree Gully Friends of Red Cross
- Terry Guy, Ferntree Gully Arts Society
- Sheren Hawking, Foothills Community Care
- Jennifer Hehir, Scoresby Football Club
- Glyn Hennessy, Knox Freedom Family
- Margaretha Hovens, Knox Obedience Dog Club Inc.
- William Ireland, Boronia CFA
- Michael Johnson, The Basin Food is Free Project & Community Garden
- Kearsley Family, Knox Little Athletics
- Krystyna Klepacz, Polish Senior Citizens Club
- Leo Ladds (dec), St Vincent de Paul (Ferntree Gully)
- Andrzej Markiewicz, Eastern Districts Polish Association
- Joanne Mc Gary, Knox Churches Soccer Club
- Jenny Moran, Rotary Club of Rowville-Lysterfield
- John Mortimore, Boronia and The Basin Community News
- Bruce Murphy, Boronia RSL
- Ray Peace, Knox Historical Society
- Sangeeta Sharma, Sant Nirankari Mission
- Reiha Ternes, Rowville Primary School
- Anne Thornton, Australian Jazz Museum
- Margaret Walerian, Eastern Districts Polish Association
- Dean Walker, Scoresby Fire Brigade
- Rebecca Whitehead, Wantirna Heights Guide Group
- Judy Williams, Upper Ferntree Gully Angliss Hospital Auxiliary
- Rodney Williams, Knox & District Woodworkers Club Inc.
- Peter Yang, Knox Chinese Elderly Citizens Club
- Anthony Ying, Southern Cross Kids Camp
Congratulations from Gully News
Congratulations to Ray Peace, researcher and writer at Knox Historical Society whose many articles have been enjoyed by readers of Gully News. Other newspaper contributors awarded include Moyra Farrington and Bill Ireland. And a special congratulations to John Mortimer, long-time editor of Boronia and Basin Community News.
Finally, anyone looking to volunteer in Knox might well pick up some ideas from this richly varied list of community organisations.
