HAVING dedicated over 50 years of his life to volunteering within communities, Michael Tuohy was humbled to be recognised in the Queen’s Birthday honours list yesterday.
The 74-year-old Mount Gambier resident was awarded an Order of Australia medal (OAM) for outstanding service to community.
A member of the Gambier City Lions Club since 1993, Mr Tuohy was honoured with the Ian Stockdale Lions Humanitarian Award in 2015.
He has helped establish many fundraising events and community activities, including the Royal Flying Doctor Service donation boxes at both the Mount Gambier Hospital and the airport.
When told he was going to be recognised with an OAM, Mr Tuohy said his mind turned to an inspiring figure in his life.
“I often think of my father, he was 93 when he died and all the work he did over the years was quite astounding, which saw him awarded an OAM in 2001,” Mr Tuohy said.
“He was a great inspiration for me and it was something that just seemed to flow-on to myself.”
Mr Tuohy found it difficult to pin-point a particular achievement that stood out from his life in volunteering, however he spoke particularly fondly of the relationship the Gambier City Lions Club built with Gordon Education Centre.
Each year, the club hosts a Christmas party for the students, which Mr Tuohy helped establish.
“It has been going for a number of years now and it is a special day on our calendar,” he said.
“The members take the van down with snags, chips, donuts, drinks and ice-cream.
“It gives us a great deal of satisfaction when we see the smiles on all the children’s faces and it really is a day that we all look forward to.”
Mr Tuohy said the relationship between the club and education centre does not end there.
“For several weeks of the year we have a barbecue at Bunnings Warehouse and we get the older children from Gordon Education Centre to come down with their carer and assist,” he
said.
“It raises a little bit of money, but more importantly it gives the children a chance to communicate and engage with the public.”
Married for 38 years, Mr Tuohy said his wife deserved a large portion of the credit for what they had achieved in the community.
“I could not have done this volunteering without the help of Julie and we have had basically a 24/7 business at the same time, which she has taken care of if I am out doing these things,” he said.
He said the reason he volunteered was simple.
“I just love helping people, I do not go looking for thanks or recognition, I just get a great satisfaction out of helping people,” he said.
If he could have one wish for the future, Mr Tuohy hoped the next generation would find the same passion in volunteering.
“We are finding it hard to get new members, most service clubs are and they are just so important to the community,” he said.
“All I can say to the younger generation is to never think you are too busy to help someone, you do not have to spare a lot and you have the chance to meet so many great people.”
