One of the joys in volunteering to work and donate time to community drives and needs is that you get to meet some incredible people.

These people work tirelessly to improve the lives of others young and old in need, along with actions and creativity it's by guidance and education and by creating much needed fundraising opportunities through events management. With the following pair I had the pleasure of acknowledging their work in the community at the Joy Street Gardens on 15 August 2018.

So here they are.

Firstly I speak of Lyn Kellow who works at Bunnings Frankston as an Activities Organiser a position she has held for 17 years.

Lyn has offered time, product and equipment to six (6) Aged Care centre's, nineteen (19) Pre-Schools and twenty five (25) Primary, High and Secondary Schools. Community BBQ's, Sausage Sizzles, donations have also benefited Rotary, Lions and Sporting Clubs, Scouts, Special needs groups and many other non-profit groups along with those aforementioned throughout Frankston and the Peninsula.

We move to recognise her work with arranging Special Needs Adult Workshops for the Salvation Army, Connecting skills, PAST, McAlister- Focus and Michael Place. Lyn's work includes Event Management with Pets Day Out, Festival of Lights, Sand Sculpting, Environment Week (which is close to all our hearts) and the Hastings Festival being enhanced by her time and skills.

In addition there are major projects/makeovers that have changed for the better the lives of those at the Gathering Place, Kananook Primary, Frankston Mental Health Unit, PAST and Carrum Downs Primary.

With Natured Kids Outdoor Playgroup and Junior Landcare Group her generosity and support for their outdoor playgroup has seen children enjoy scarecrow making, being stocked up with watering cans and shovels, seedlings and other nature products for projects in particular at Joy Street Community Gardens. The joy Lyn has brought to the lives of young Frankston people and their families with her donations is reflected in their attendance today in appreciation of what she has done.

Oh, for the record Lyn is a life member of the Vietnam Veterans Association and has been Scarfed by the 1st Sth Frankston Scouts.

Nominated for this award by Natured Kids Outdoor Playgroup it was my pleasure and honour as President of the Rotary Club of Frankston to acknowledge her work.

Next is Tony Sinclair.

Tony was a cabinetmaker by trade and with these skills taught young people woodwork and mechanical drawing. He is also a qualified builder, the mentoring of youth did not stop there.

Tony fell ill with cancer and turned to low impact work and ran a wholesale nursery at Redhill until his retirement. His building skills came into play with his work at the Men's Shed at Mornington, plus volunteering his services to community projects. Part of this volunteering is with Natured Kids building hundreds of bird nesting and fauna boxes.

You can find Tony's work in many trees at Joy Street Gardens, Kananook Creek and Cruden Farm.

In addition he built the self-serve book-swapping library at Montague Gardens, set up to share with the Birth Tree Project established by the Frankston Peninsula 2.0 Rotary Club. The Book Library is now also at Joy Street Gardens which is supported by the Rotary Club of Frankston.

Tony has constructed the 'Bug' Hotel as part of the Junior Land Care project to fill homes for beneficial bugs. He has helped young people learn the necessary skills to create a habitat for wild life, this was done by providing templates for these tree -creeper nesting boxes for children to construct and paint. Tony is also a retired teacher and sees great value in supporting young people to engage in purposeful tasks and projects within the community.

For Tony it's all about kids learning to look after plants and the environment for now and the future.

His nomination is again from Natured Kids Outdoor Playgroup and Junior Landcare Group for his endless voluntary hours in Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula.

It was certainly my pleasure to meet with Tony and acknowledge his work and commitment in the community, in particular with the young.

Charles Coy

President ,

Rotary Club of Frankston