Ferntree Gully residents Mike Kerr and Leonie Deacon took out the Knox Council volunteer and citizen of the year awards. 42169
By Casey Neill
FERNTREE Gully has again come up trumps in Knox Council’s Australia Day Awards.
Residents Leonie Deacon and Mike Kerr were named the citizen and volunteer of the year respectively.
Knox Community Health Service volunteer co-ordinator Michelle Cray nominated Ms Deacon for the Volunteer of the Year award.
Ms Deacon had relaxed after Mr Kerr was announced as the winner and was shocked to hear her name called out as the municipality’s top citizen.
“I was a bit of a stunned mullet I suppose,” she said.
The 51-year-old volunteers with Knox Community Health Service and spearheaded a Welcoming Bayswater project, which included a street party last November.
“The whole thing for me was the fact that I got nominated,” she said.
“I didn’t do it to get any recognition. I did it because I enjoy doing it.”
Mr Kerr has “no idea” why he was nominated for his volunteer honour, which recognised his contribution to Knox Little Athletics Club (KLAC).
“It’s just one of those things. You get in and you do what you’ve gotta do,” he said.
The 46-year-old was “stoked” to walk away with the award.
“It was a big shock,” he said.
“I basically get down there and set up and pack up and I’m usually the first one there, last one to leave.”
“But I enjoy it so it’s not one of those things I look at as volunteering or a chore.”
Mr Kerr first got involved when the eldest daughter Samantha, now 20, joined the club.
At an end of season break-up he complained to committee members “about a few things I didn’t like”.
“They said ‘well if you don’t like it, come on the committee’,” he said.
He has now been KLAC president for the past 12 years.
“If you want to change something you get in there and do it,” he said.
