#50Days50Ways - #43 - Sponsored and supported the Inaugural Division 9 Community Hero Awards

The Inaugural Division 9 Community Hero Awards was conceived and hosted by the Mudgeeraba Show Society on Saturday 3rd February 2024 and I was asked to give a speech as the major sponsor and sitting Councillor. Over 180 locals attended and many volunteers were honoured at the event.

It was a privilege to be involved, and here is the transcript of my address;

As Melanie said, my name is Cr Glenn Tozer and I look after about 43,000 people in the southwest of the city. I’m honoured to be involved here tonight as a supporter of this initiative of the Mudgeeraba Show Society.

 Whenever we gather together it is important we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet; the Kombumerri people; and pay our respect to elders past present and emerging. Respect for all elders is an important part of our community here and no matter what cultural background you are from, we welcome and respect you and the legacy of your community work. If you’d like to find out more about the local First nations history there are two places you can visit. One is Graham Dillon OAM Park in Worongary, on the corner of Explorers Way and Hinkler Drive about 10 minutes north of here. Uncle Graham was a patriarch of our local indigenous families and finding out about him can be an insightful process. Additionally, Warri Park, is named after a matriarch of the First Nations people in our area, and there is a park on Swanton Drive in Mudgeeraba named for her. She was a midwife and leader and it is from her that many indigenous people on the Gold Coast trace their lineage. I hope that info helps you if you are interested to find out more.

 As Councillor, I also have a solemn duty today and that is to offer condolences for two men who died this past week, heavily involved for much of their lives in community activity in Division 9.

 Brian Parker died yesterday morning and he was the partner of our dear friend Earle Hinschen, founder of the Doyles. Brian was a long time supporter and sponsor of our much loved d’Arcy Doyle Art Awards. He will be sorely missed.

 Also, Graham Genner passed away this week, and was known to many here. He was a long-time volunteer and contributor to the Division 9 community, as a Lion, and as a member of the RSL, and as a Scout Leader in the city and locally, and also as a passionate advocate for caravanning through his member of the Jabiru Caravan and RV Club. Graham’s funeral is coming up this Friday at Gentle Touch.

With that said, I do want to lighten the mood a little after those important and reflective words. In the early 2000’s continuing until even just recently, the University of Chicago has undertaken a body of research on a variety of matters known as the “National Social Life, Health & Aging Project”. It covers a wide variety of topics but one element I thought particularly interesting was that it found people who volunteer are actually found more attractive than people who do not. What was poignant as well was that the assessors of the attractiveness did not even know who in the group were the volunteers or not. We can assume then that even if you volunteer and no-one knows about it … you’re just hotter.

 I would like to say that I reckon we could submit this room as evidence for that as you’re all looking particularly smashing tonight.

More seriously though, when the Mudgeeraba Show Society first discussed wanting to host this event, it was before Christmas. There had been no storms or floods or disaster. We booked it all in and wanted to make it a great inaugural event. The Christmas Day and New Years tornado and storms really tested the community but I’m so proud of the effort that went to into rallying together between then and now, as we start to reach disaster recovery and getting back to business as usual.

 I want to thank every one of you for your role in volunteering in our community, however big or small, and whether in community events and activities, whether in the recent storm events, in sporting groups, interest groups, church groups or at local schools.

 You contribution makes our community richer and on behalf of the city, we thank you deeply.

 Enjoy the awards and ceremony.