By KATH GANNAWAY
PEOPLE who have served communities in the Yarra Ranges were brought together on 31 May for a special ‘thankyou’ on the National Day of Thanksgiving.
The annual thanksgiving breakfast hosted by Oxley Christian College was held at the Foothills Conference Centre and invited guests included volunteers and staff of numerous community and church organisations and local political representatives.
Yarra Ranges mayor Fiona McAllister spoke of the contribution many in the community made in so many ways and often over many years.
MC Randall Bourchier reflected on the contributions people made including sacrificing time, money, skills, convenience and often personal safety in putting their lives on the line for the well-being of many.
He presented inspiring, moving and often humorous mini-biographies of eight people chosen for special recognition – Roger Boness and Jan Simmons from Mount Evelyn, Cr Len Cox from Montrose, Keith Thomas from Warburton, Dorothy Barbour from Yarra Glen, Florence Flood from Healesville, Denise Garratt from Gruyere and police officer Matt Henry who was on duty in Steels Creek on Black Saturday.
Kinglake author and CFA volunteer Adrian Hyland was guest speaker, giving recognition to volunteers, and to all emergency service workers who he said gave ‘beyond the call of duty’.
