Mount Gambier/ Berrin personality Kevin ‘KD’ Douglas has been named as the City of Mount Gambier’s 2024 Senior Citizen of the Year.
Mr Douglas came to the region to teach in 1974 and during his career worked at Grant High School, Allendale East Area School, Mount Gambier High School and Millicent High School before retiring in 2016.
In 2007 Grant High School dedicated an area of the school as the Carol Lock/Kevin Douglas quadrangle in recognition of his service.
Since then he has ramped up his already extensive volunteering efforts in the community.
He is heavily involved in a number of local sports including football, soccer, basketball, baseball and softball, greyhound racing and harness racing.
“Right from being a youth, my Mum Thelma ensured my brother and I played a lot of sport, and I believe it is so important,” he said.
“It has so much more to offer than potentially getting a kick on Adelaide oval – the responsibility, the organisation, the punctuality, all those social skills that are so important, the teamwork, the friendship, they are all the benefits of playing sport.”
After hosting a sports show on the radio for most of the 90s, Mr Douglas was in demand as a master of ceremonies around the region for special events on race days at the Mount Gambier Harness Club, trotting evenings at the Mount Gambier Greyhound Club, sports nights and charity fundraisers.
“I loved every minute of it,” he said.
“Out at the trots if they had a presentation, I’d grab the microphone and do it right.
“I am not a professional at it, but I am someone who took some pride in doing things right.”
Mr Douglas established the clubs Catch for Cash fundraiser raising about $28,000, provided assistance to Quaran Care and was presented with an Outstanding Service to Industry Award by Greyhound Racing SA.
In the wider community, Mr Douglas spends a lot of time feeding people through his volunteer work at Sunset Kitchen and the Mount Gambier Community Christmas Lunch.
He ran the festive event from 2020 to 2023 ensuring everyone could enjoy a special lunch on Christmas Day, which led to volunteering at the twice-weekly service.
“I would go along and ask people if they would like to attend the Christmas lunch, and then I realised what they did at Sunset Kitchen,” he said.
“I thought that it was fantastic, not making judgements, just providing underprivileged people of all ages with a meal on a Monday and Wednesday night.”
Mr Douglas said he was so community minded as at four-years-old the Riverland community helped his family overcome tragedy.
“The Waikerie community held a fundraiser and raised an unbelievable amount of money for the family between 1956 to 1960 which greatly assisted us,” he said.
Once he understood the goodwill displayed it astounded him and he wanted to continue to give back to others where he could, both locally and in the Riverland.
“That’s my why, you’ve got to do what you can to help other people in need,” he said.
