2017 COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS AWARDS
Applecross Rotary has been recognising outstanding community service by businesses and residents of the City of Melville for many years.
Eight Awards were given in 2017. The following citations were written by Gordon Dunbar and edited by Ian Fairnie. Kate Zappa took the photos.
BLAKE HORNER
Dr Blake Horner, accepting his award from President Chris Whelan and the Hon. Dean Nalder.
Blake graduated from Murdoch University in 2009 and then worked for the next two years as a chiropractor in a practice in Canning Vale. He then joined Nervana Chiropractic, opening a clinic in the Applecross Village in Ardross St Applecross, home of the Jacaranda Festival.
Blake’s father Dr Philip Horner, had a large diverse chiropractic clinic in West Perth, that was run in conjunction with his practice partner. Sadly, he died a number of years ago, however his practice partner continues to run the clinic.
Some years ago, his late father's partner suggested he and Blake do something to remember his father. So every client who came into the two practices over the Christmas-New Year period was given a free consultation and invited to donate the fee foregone to a charity. Up until 2015, the money raised went to fund two respirators for children at PMH who have muscular dystrophy. They cost $20,000 each.
More recently, Blake met Shannon Davies through a business association they both belong to, and he discovered that Shannon's son Ethan was suffering, or more correctly recovering, from brain cancer. So since Christmas 2016 the money raised by Nervana Applecross clients supports the Ethan Davies Fellowship of the Telethon Institute for Children. This enables visiting scientists from overseas to spend time at the Telethon Institute training laboratory staff in the latest techniques for researching brain cancer.
BRENTON EDWARDS
Brenton Edwards and his team at Fitness Results, located at the Tompkins Park recreation facility in Alfred Cove, have been part of the Applecross and broader Melville community for many years now.
They are dedicated to improving the health and fitness of people within the wider City of Melville community in a fun, supportive and social environment. What makes this business so appealing is that it is a true local business, owned and operated by locals living within the City of Melville.
Most fitness outlets in the area tend to be part of broader corporate chains and lack the intimacy and sense of community that Fitness Results offers.
Brenton excels as a business owner and this is reflected in both his loyal client base and low turnover of staff. He naturally leads and motivates staff and has provided staff with opportunity to grow within their roles and engaging in extracurricular activities that in turn bring an enhanced dynamic back to Fitness Results.
This outstanding small local business has become an institution in the Applecross area and is a true testament to Brenton Edwards and his staff. Brenton excels as a business owner and this is reflected in both his loyal client base and low turnover of staff. He naturally leads and motivates staff and has provided staff with opportunity to grow within their roles and engaging in extracurricular activities that in turn bring an enhanced
dynamic back to Fitness Results. This outstanding small local business has become an institution in the Applecross area and is a true testament to Brenton Edwards and his staff.
ERIN MADELEY
Erin created the Perth Makers Market concept and then delivered it to the public.
It is an exclusively handmade only market that makes its home at Heathcote Cultural Precinct in Applecross. All items that you will find at the market have been handcrafted by the stall holders themselves, in WA. The only exception to this are the non-profit stall holders who attend to raise awareness and fundraise for their causes.
The market is successful; it runs 6 times a year and has grown such that over 3000 persons attend each event.
The goal of Perth Makers Market is to provide a platform for the talented, high quality handmade crafters that call Perth their home in a family oriented, friendly location. With strong ties to the community and a focus on giving back, Perth Makers Market is unique. It is a great business and community event.
Erin Madeley deserves special recognition for the way she has embedded the empowerment of the community into the business model.
KEITH DADDOW
Margot Whittington and Keith Daddow
During winter Keith coaches or is assistant coach for his two son’s teams at the Applecross Mt Pleasant Junior Football Club. After the last game of the year he has the boys all sitting as he goes through the team individually praising the efforts of each boy as he hands them a trophy. They listen to every word then he says "Boys you have next week off then we start the greatest game of all – Cricket!"
So during the summer he coaches and co-ordinates three cricket teams at the Ardross Junior Cricket Club.
When he coaches, he keeps parents up to date and entertained with detailed match reports. This communication has brought both the players and their parents closer and there is always good community spirit on the side lines. On top of this he works behind the scenes as a board member of both organizations.
Keith was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011. After successful treatment, he has become a national Spokesman for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. The ‘Save a Man Kilimanjaro Challenge‘ being his focus and through his passion and support there have been two expeditions to climb the highest free standing mountain in the world.
He climbed the mountain himself in the first expedition in 2014. His group of six raised over $65,000 of which Keith raised $34,000 alone. For the second expedition in late 2016, Keith recruited six Melville residents and helped the team of 8 climbers raise over $75,000.
Keith is passionate about his sport and promoting Prostate Cancer Awareness, he is also passionate about his Poker. In 2008, he formed the Applecross Muppets, a community of avid poker players who are as generous as they are dedicated to their poker. Keith organises an annual charity poker tournament for his Muppets, which raises over $10,000 annually for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
Keith is regularly seen on the ‘tongs’ at Bunning’s Sausage sizzle for the Waylen Bay Scout Troop or parking cars with Applecross Rotary at the Perth Makers Market.
KEVIN and PETRICE JUDGE
In her nomination of Kevin and Petrice Judge, Gillian Helfgott wrote: We have known Kevin and Petrice Judge for nearly thirty years and have observed their incredible generosity and caring within the community.
Over the years, we have been amazed at the continual opening of their beautiful Applecross home to so many diverse fund-raising efforts for different causes. An example is the yearly auction of donated goods, which has raised so many thousands of dollars for different charities.
Kevin and Petrice have been close friends of David and Gillian Helfgott for several decades and numerous musical evenings have been held with David playing the leading role. Their home has also been the venue for other musicians to perform to an invited audience appreciative of fine music. Kevin and Petrice also undertook a huge amount of research on David Helfgott’s past life which resulted in him being awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Curtin University, WA, which was one of the most treasured recognitions he has ever received.
As Gillian said, "They have done this home based Charity work and support of the Arts without any public acclaim or seeking the limelight in any way with completely open and generous hearts and a deep caring for the community".
KIM DETHLEFSEN, Amcal Chemist Willagee
For many years Willagee has gone without a medical centre and bulk billing doctors, which made it difficult for its aging community. The bus service would only take someone to Booragoon, Fremantle or Perth.
Kim and his family have sacrificed a lot to give the Willagee community a very much needed Medical and Pathology Centre. With great expense Kim moved his chemist shop and built a one stop chemist, medical and pathology service for the Community. This facility is located in the middle of the Archibald Street shopping complex. Kim also made sure the doctors who were interested in coming to Willagee, Bulk Billed.
Kim does home deliveries for those who find it difficult to go out. He educates on diabetes, asthma and arthritis.
Kim has introduced a new packaging system to avoid accidental medication misuse. With 30% of hospital admissions for those over 75 years of age due to medication misuse this alone is a fantastic contribution to the community.
Kim has taken the effort to recognize the history of the area and shows this in the art work that is displayed at the entrance of the shop.
WILLAGEE COMMUNITY CENTRE
Brian Marshall and Emma Peal accepting the award on behalf of the Willagee Community Centre
The Willagee Community Centre is located on the corner of Archibald and Winnacott Streets. It offers a range of responsive services and programs to the community of Willagee and beyond such as:
1.Financial Counselling - support to those in financial hardship including emergency relief, advocacy, advice on budgeting.
2.Seniors programs - computer courses to enable online communication and connection.
3.After school youth drop-in - activities for young people.
4.Aboriginal Dance for girls and boys - respected Noongar leaders are contracted to work with young people from Aboriginal communities to develop culture, self-respect and self-confidence.
5.Sustainable living - most recently the Centre began hosting workshops in response to the community's interest in living more sustainably. These include bike maintenance, soap making, and travel smart.
These are just a few examples of the many ways the Willagee Community Centre responds to, and supports the local community. It is a measure of the professionalism and sense of ownership that the staff have of their centre that so many of them attended the Awards function.
Bricks and tiles provide the venue but it’s the people who make it happen.
MARIE BARNS
Marie (second from the left) with some of her singers
Marie Barns is a singer and pianist in the "Our Lady of Fatima" Parish in Palmyra.
In 2000, the occupational therapist at "Carinya" nursing home in Bicton asked Marie if she could organize a concert for their residents. Marie took up the challenge and organized a small group of parishioners to participate in a sing-along concert for the entertainment of the residents. The group called themselves the "Fatima Singers".
Since that humble beginning, Marie and her group have provided sing-along concerts at nursing and retirement homes and at Senior Citizen Centers for thousands of people, within the City of Melville and beyond.
The group has presented literally hundreds of concerts, in some years up to 45 concerts a year. Dozens of programs have been developed, including Country & Western, Songs from Movies and Shows, Valentine’s Day (Love Songs), Patrick’s Day (Irish Songs), Mother's and Father’s Days and Christmas time.
The group operates as a community service, it does not charge for its concerts but accepts donations to cover some costs.