50 years ago, July 1975
Rochester’s 10 ‘Citizens of the Year’ could find their names listed permanently on an honour board, following advice from the Australia Day Council (Victoria).
The secretary of the Australia Day Council (Victoria), Mr A.J. Gairns, in a letter to the Hon. Michael Clarke, MLC, said the matter of providing a suitable honour board for the Citizens of the Year for Rochester was considered by his council at a recent meeting.
“My council was in agreement that this board should be provided to Rochester, in view of the high regard it has for that local committee for our work,” he wrote.
Each year at Rochester’s Australia Day celebrations dinner, held on the Australia Day holiday, a worthy local resident is named Rochester’s Citizen of the Year.
The award has been made on 10 occasions and local residents to be honoured by this award have been Mrs Mary Shanahan and Messrs Bill Haisman, Syd Johnston, Jack Hart, Reg Ellis, Perc Munzel, Les Anderson, Rob Haines, Carl Macauley and Ian Coughlin.
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‘’The Lockington Lions Club has been instrumental in casting aside many prejudices,’’ the retiring president of the club, Mr John Hewlett, said at the club’s changeover dinner at the Lockington Memorial Hall.
‘’The various districts around Lockington had not been able to pull together; but since the formation of the Lions Club, they had grown up, and now worked side by side for the benefit of the whole community.’’
The installing officer for the changeover was 201P district governor, Mr Ron May of Bendigo, who was on his first official changeover function since being installed district governor at the Lions International Convention in Dallas, US.
Mr May, before installing Mr Clyde Vise as the new president of the Lockington Lions Club, thanked the retiring board members.
25 years ago, July 2000
Drugs and alcohol were the topic of discussion for Rochester’s Leanne Carter when she attended the National Youth Congress in Canberra.
A Rochester Secondary College Year 12 student, Leanne was one of 250 young people aged between 16 and 25 to attend the four-day congress.
Four main issues were discussed at the congress — youth suicide, drugs and alcohol, Australia in the international area and youth profile on how Australians see youth.
Leanne, 18, was part of the drugs and alcohol discussion for three days.
Her group devised plans to take to the community to try and implement at the ‘’grass roots’’ to combat alcohol and drug abuse.
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After an unsuccessful attempt to leave the Bendigo Football League last year, Lockington-Bamawm United is planning to move to the Heathcote and District Football League next season.
A meeting of club members voted overwhelmingly to leave the Bendigo Football League for the Heathcote and District Football League.
After some discussion and clarification, the committee put forward a motion to leave the BFL and apply to enter the HDFL. The motion was passed 74 in favour to three against.
LBU president Bernie McManus said that this ‘’was the case last year and no-one had changed their minds this year’’.
10 years ago, July 2015
Rochester’s Leo Club former president Monique Keech and president Tekyra Shead have presented the Rochester and Elmore District Health Service and Rochester Ambulance service with plush teddies as part of their operation teddy bear program.
The program is run by the Victorian Lions and aims to supply emergency and health services with Lions International teddy bears for young children experiencing times of stress and crisis.
Rochester Ambulance community officer Lindsey Macague said they used the teddies for children who may have been the victims of crime, injured in an accident or had been in a traumatic situation and looking for comfort.
‘‘The brave bear/trauma bear helps take the focus away from the pain or issue and allows them to relax,’’ she said.
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THE 2015 National Blood Donor Week festivities will make the Rochester region Victoria’s new red light district.
As part of promoting Blood Donation Week, Bendigo Bank, Rochester Business Network (formerly Rochester Chamber of Commerce), Rochester and Elmore District Health Service and the Campaspe News joined forces to raise awareness of the charity.
Businesses around town have created a ‘red’ feel to their windows, foyer or appropriate areas and a judging team will visit them on Friday from 11am.
Event facilitator and Bendigo Bank marketing assistant Meagan Keating said the event was just one of the ways they could support the Australian Red Cross Blood Service and help increase awareness of blood donation.