Endeavour stalwarts farewelled at party

JAY FIELDING

MORE presents than normal were handed out at this year’s Endeavour Foundation Christmas party.

Two valued members of the team are moving on after making significant contributions, receiving some extra gifts from colleagues.

Greg Massingham has retired after 40 years working at the Endeavour site, which produces timber products.

Greg – known affectionately as GM, General Manager and Major General in the workplace – was such a dedicated employee he had accrued 1700 hours of sick leave.

Endeavour Maryborough manager Scott Reed said Greg was very highly regarded.

“Today’s all about Greg,” Mr Reed told the dozens of guests at the party.

He said Greg, who has Down syndrome, had also attended the school for children with disabilities, on the site now occupied by Endeavour, for 12 years.

“You could probably say he’s part of the furniture,” Mr Reed.

He said Endeavour was losing a mate, a colleague and “someone I value very highly”.

Mr Reed also paid tribute to Greg’s mother, Joan, who had been a tireless supporter of Endeavour among a host of other community causes since it began.

She is a life member of the organisation.

“She was on the area committee for God I don’t know how long,” he said.

Her late husband and Greg’s father, Barry, had a massive hand in building the original facility.

Mrs Massingham told guests the family had attended the opening day of Caringa, the school, in 1964. Greg began attending in 1968.

“We’ve been coming here for over 50 years,” she said.

“He’s been so happy to come here and call you his comrades.”

Another staff member bidding farewell was Matthew O’Brien, who clocked up 10 years with Endeavour.

“Matty’s come a long way. When he first started, he didn’t have a lot of confidence,” Mr Reed said.

“He’s now a young man who’s achieved a truck driver’s license, a certificate III, a forklift licence and he’s been our main truck driver,” he said.

“He’s a very successful young man.

“He will be sorely missed.”

Matthew is moving to Ballina to be with his partner, who is pregnant with their first child.

He was one of eight Endeavour team members who recently completed a nationally accredited qualification in sawmilling and processing.

They were presented with their certificates at the Christmas party.

Manager Scott Reed with Greg Massingham, who is retiring after 40 years with Endeavour. (Jay Fielding)