FROM a very young age, Ron Franks said he was always taught to care for people and his long list of voluntary roles in the community over the years have put actions to his words.
Mr Franks was one of over 400 people around the country who were announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List over the long weekend.
Receiving an Order of Australia Medal, Mr Franks has been recognised for his service to the community through a range of voluntary roles.
Australia’s Governor General, Quentin Bryce, said the awards acknowledge the recipients’ diverse contributions and service to fellow citizens in Australia and internationally.
“The Honours announced today recognise community values and celebrate what is important and unifying in Australian life,” Ms Bryce said.
Mr Franks said he had no idea who put him up for the recognition and that he couldn’t believe it.
“I am naturally very proud to receive this award and honour from the Governor General of Australia, no one is more proud of Australia than I am,” he said.
“I dedicate this award to my late wife and three children for all the time I was missing from home doing community work over the last 60 years.”
With his entire family fighting for Australia in both World Wars, Mr Franks was brought up to have pride in his country.
His father was a Captain Chaplin Padre for the Salvation Army in World War I and II, while his mother was in charge of a group of women at the local Salvation Army headquarters who would knit socks and balaclavas for the troops.
Between them, his two older brothers served in the Western Desert, Tobruk and Syria during WWII.
Mr Franks’ sister joined the land army and his younger brother worked as a Red Shield Officer during the Malayan Emergency.
In 1941 Mr Franks changed his age so he was old enough to join the army and subsequently served in New Guinea, Borneo and Celebes.
When he returned to Australia, he was an active member of the Bradwell Park RSL sub branch for 28 years.
Mr Franks has also played a big part in one of Australia’s most prominent community services, the Salvation Army, working as a zone director and chairman of the Red Shield Appeal in Hunters Hill for 14 years where he helped raise around $300,000.
Mr Franks also had the opportunity to travel around Australia, playing at the Opera House and overseas with the Dulwich Hill Salvation Army band, while he was a member for 50 years.
“I was fortunate enough to be taught to play the trumpet by my father,” he said.
In 1996 Mr Franks moved to Tea Gardens where he was president of the sub-branch from 2000 to 2009. During that time Mr Franks was a driving force to raise $5000 for the war memorial in Anzac Park.
But his work hasn’t stopped there.
“I joined the Lions Club six years ago and what a great job they do raising money for the community, I had the privilege to serve one year as president.”
He has also been president of the Myall U3A, as well as being a member of Great Lakes Council’s sport and recreation 355 committee, Probus, Tea Gardens Motor Club and Motorfest committee and the Myall Coast Entertainers.
“What a wonderful community we have here, I hope to continue working with it helping where I can,” Mr Franks said.
“Australia, what a great country we live in, it’s the best, it was worth fighting for and I’m so proud of it.”
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff
Twitter