NEWS DESK
Job well done: Wayne Etcell and partner Dawn Tonge at Government House after receiving the Metropolitan Volunteer of the Year – Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award.
offers the young at heart an active lifestyle in our secure, tranquil and well established lifestyle resort
Volunteer’s award reward goes to CFA Enjoy being cared for Stephen Taylor steve@baysidenews.com.au
A FORMER treasurer of Chelsea Surf Life Saving Club and group leader of 1st Chelsea Scouts has been named the state’s volunteer of the year. Tyabb CFA officer Wayne Etcell is donating the $10,000 he received for winning the Victorian Premier’s Metropolitan Volunteer of the Year – Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award to the brigade. Mr Etcell, of Somerville, received his award from Victoria Governor Linda Dessau at a ceremony at Government House last week. It is a wonder he had time to attend as his workload is staggering: the busy 63-year-old audits full time for the Tax Department, puts in almost another week’s voluntary work with the CFA, as a Justice of the Peace and also as a bails justice. Mr Etcell took up the volunteer’s mantle at 16 and remained a member of the Chelsea Surf Life Saving Club for 10 years – two as treasurer – and group leader with 1st Chelsea Scouts for five years, during which time he was assistant district commissioner of leader training. He now divides his voluntary hours between the CFA in the bushfire season – where he is a qualified assessor – and his bails justice role where he is charged with being an impartial, deciding authority in cases involving bail and bail conditions and also decisions on child welfare. His normal “after work” roster means he is on-call 4pmmidnight week days and 4pm Friday-7pm Sunday as one of only 77 bails justices in the state. His patch extends from Dandenong to Mordialloc and to Rosebud – an area with 14 police stations. In the fire season he is on call daily to fight fires across the Mornington Peninsula and
across the state. He has been involved in flood and bushfire campaigns all over Victoria, including the Black Saturday fires for which he received the National Emergency Medal in 2013. Mr Etcell enjoys the camaraderie of his voluntary roles and the feeling of helping those less fortunate than himself. “I come across people from all walks of life under difficult circumstances. My primary objective is to help them and, especially, to take care of the welfare of the child,” he said. Dawn Tonge, who nominated her partner for the award, said he “always had a strong desire to give back to the community and finds these roles an immeasurable source of personal satisfaction and enjoyment”. “He’s always available to help people with inquiries and signing documents. His friendly and inviting manner is a welcoming light to some people who are often confused and require reassurance over confusing documentation,” Ms Tonge said. “The role of JP requires him to be available at any time of the day for people to visit our home, or have Wayne go to them. He also makes himself available on occasional rosters at the police station as resident JP for a few hours in the evening.” Tyabb station captain Stephen Birkinshaw described Mt Etcell as “certainly a most valuable long-time member who’s very important to the brigade and many other organisations in the community”. Mr Birkenshaw said the $10,000 would go towards car parking at the station. Mt Etcell was nominated by his colleagues at the Tax office to receive the Australia Day Achievement Medallion which he received in 2009.
Police patrol
Sports gear stolen
Containers burgled
THIEVES used a four-wheel-drive with snatch straps to dislodge a concrete bollard outside the Super A-Mart Sport store, Nepean Hwy, Mentone, 2am, Saturday. They smashed a front side window and damaged metal frame sliding doors to gain entry. Inside, they dragged a table load of Niketype T-shirts, sports bags and other items to the front and loaded them into their car. The manager later told police he noticed two men the previous Wednesday possibly casing the store. Police are analysing CCTV footage. Anyone with information is asked to call Kingston CIU, 9556 6565.
OFFENDERS scaled fences to enter a storage area behind Arcorp Enterprises, Dingley Village, overnight Thursday. Cutting through padlocks with bolt cutters they broke into four storage containers holding excess stock and made off with a box of unknown items. Anyone with information is asked to call Kingston CIU, 9556 6565.
Second break-in BURSON Auto Parts, Boundary Rd, Braeside, has been robbed for the second time in as many months. About 3.10am Saturday, thieves unsuccessfully attempted to jemmy open a window near the front door. They then pulled hard on the front door handle and used the jemmy to force the door open. Inside, they stole a quantity of tools from glass display cabinets along the south wall and a car trolley jack from inside the front door. Anyone with information is asked to call Kingston CIU, 9556 6565.
Wanted for threats A MAN allegedly threatened to “cut out the tongues” of two teenagers on the Frankston line train, Monday 30 November. The man boarded at Mentone and got off at Bentleigh. He is described as being in his 40s, medium build, grey brushedback hair, smoking, wearing sunglasses, grey and white hoodie, black T-shirt with motif and backpack. Anyone with information is asked to call the officer-in-charge, Transit Police, 9247 6844.
Cafe cops it VANDALS smashed 14 windows at the Parkdale Beach café and kiosk, Beach Rd, Monday night, before breaking in and stealing alcohol. Messages and graffiti were scrawled on the walls of the café and adjoining toilet block about 11pm.
Willow lodge village situated in the heart of Bangholme on the Frankston-Dandenong Road offers owner occupation accommodation on a permanent basis. We comprise some 45 acres of land and have 409 permanent sites with approximately 600 residents.
mature age living at its very best! • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
swimming pool tennis outdoor bowls indoor bowls medical centre / 3 doctors, 5 days a week, also performing minor procedures if required on-site pathology on-site podiatry sports care physiotherapy gym instructor daily bus service, every 15 mins on site-hairdresser take-away café / coffee lounge craft shop workshop selective small library community hall bingo competitions social darts dances / live shows dining facility architectuarlly designed homes pet friendly
CARAVAN PARKING FREE TO RESIDENTS www.palmlakeresort.com.au
For a list of other locations Australia wide visit our website Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 16 December 2015
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