CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE

Late in 2022, Mukinbudin P&C presented Mrs Valmai Tilbrook, or ‘Mrs Tilly’ as she is affectionately known, with a WACSSO Long Serving P&C Member Award for 50 Years of Service.

Mrs Tilly (Val) has been involved with the Mukinbudin P&C since the early 1970s in her much-loved roles on the Catering Committee and in the Canteen. Val remains a P&C member today, attending meetings, and is still running the canteen for the Mukinbudin District School

Born and bred in Perth, Val moved northeast to Beacon after she got married, when she and her husband Roy were offered the opportunity of a share farm When their eldest child started school at Wialki Primary, Val’s involvement with a P&C began, taking on the roles of Secretary and Treasurer. Seeing how much enjoyment she got from the role, Roy became the stay-at-home parent, managing the farm animals and their caravan park business, which allowed Val to commit her time to the school and the P&C. When the family moved to Mukinbudin District School, she continued to volunteer and her dual roles on the catering committee and canteen kept her very busy, with the committee providing catering to more than the school; local bowls clubs and other community groups also booked their services. Despite the shrinking student population, the school canteen continues to be open one day a week, with pizza being one of the favourite items on order Over the length of her service, student numbers at the district school, which offers all year levels, K-12, have waned from 300 to about 100, but the children bring Val much joy

“The school is full of gorgeous little kids that make everything I do worthwhile,” said Val. “I see many of them out and about around town and they always say ‘hello’ and thank me for the food I make,” she added

Incredibly, the P&C is not the only avenue of service that occupies Val’s time She also volunteered for the local swimming club, the Senior Citizens group (as Secretary and Treasurer, as well as making many of the morning teas and lunches since it was established in 1991), attended meetings for the local Nursing Post, and was President (now Vice President) of the local paper Mukka Matters which she still delivers While she has received many acknowledgments for her service, what drives her is her community-minded nature “I like knowing what is happening, and having a voice within the community if I’m able to, and I like being able to offer practical help I also just love the children at Mukinbudin District School. While it is nice to be on stage, given an award, my happy place is definitely behind the stove, cooking for this community!” Val also asserts that, while she commits her time to many community organisations, her true passion (aside from her family) is the P&C.

The community that Val supports so ardently came to her aid last year when a tragic road accident that she was also involved in, took the lives her son and husband. “I did have some time away from the school while I was recovering, but I went back in the last term of the year and, honestly, it saved me Being at the school, surrounded by the kids, and having that purpose, really helped with my recovery. Also, I am grateful to the community for supporting me through that time, with food, company, and words of comfort”

As Term One this year got underway, Val was back in her post in the canteen. Her dedication to the community of Mukinbudin is as unwavering as it is incredible