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DNC Wombat Award for Frank's dedication "They performed a play at the Daylesford Town Hall and were billetted out with families. It was a very memorable time - and many people still remember that."
F
RANK Page is the latest recipient of the Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre's Wombat Award.
The award is given to people who have gone "above and beyond" for the centre. Recipients receive a beautiful wooden sculpture by Miriam Porter - which must be handed back at the end of their term. Fittingly the award was instigated by Frank who said his inspiration came from the 70-year-old Williamstown Little Theatre where he and his partner Ellis Ebell have been involved for many years. "The Cordell Award is presented to the best performer for the year and I said we could do the same thing. It is a tangible recognition of people who have gone above and beyond. Not that I ever thought I would be receiving it. I am tickled pink - just thrilled." Frank started with the Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre after retiring from a corporate background and then becoming involved in the then Tourism Advisory Committee. As that committee disbanded to become the Hepburn Tourism Board, the chair of the Neighbourhood Centre asked Frank to become involved. "I was looking around for something else to become involved in and they were very convincing and it sounded interesting and I agreed. "They were quite amused with my corporate language, things like 'skin in the game', and with my background in strategic marketing, I brought that kind of thinking." One of Frank's first initiatives was bringing a group of refugees to Daylesford - through his involvement as part of the committee of management of the Fitzroy Neighbourhood Centre.
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"It was when we were living in Melbourne and up here and the Fitzroy Learning Centre was heavily involved with refugees - it was the post Tampa period. "I used to do things to partner the two centres and it was an obvious decision to bring them up here for the weekend. They performed a play at the Daylesford Town Hall and were billeted out with families. It was a very memorable time - and many people still remember that." Frank's has also led Current Affair - a lively weekly discussion of all things trending. It started as a U3A project but morphed into a joint initiative with the centre where it was held in the former courtroom. After starting it in 2000 Frank held his last Current Affair just last week, promising that unlike other times he has stopped, he would not be persuaded to return. He also stood down from the centre's committee earlier this year after 14 years. It's time for a break, he says. "I just feel like I have been doing these things for a long time and I get concerned about doing things just because they are there. I am a strong believer in renewal and that it's time for younger people to come through. It's also time for me to be a bit indulgent." Committee chair Jenny Beacham said Frank was a "worthy recipient" of the Wombat Award and had "held just about every position on the committee". Past award winners over the years have included Jenny Beacham, Elaine Kirby, Ken Matheson, Barbara Webb and Anne Finch.
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