FORMER mayor and long-serving councillor Gordon Lewis OAM was announced Wingecarribbee Citizen of the Year for 2010 at an official Australia Day Ceremony in Berrima yesterday.
Leaping to his feet, fists in the air, the look of surprise was evident on Mr Lewis’ face as his name was called from a list of seven outstanding nominees.
“I know how hard it is to decide, I have been on many judging panels in the past, so to be selected from such a distinguished list is an incredible honour,” Mr Lewis said.
“Every single one of them contributes significantly to the Southern Highlands community and Australia as a whole; it really could have been any one of of them.”
The other nominees, Joan Eberle, Dorothy Hinschen, Gordon Hughes, Huw Kingston, Patricia O’Keeffe and Tony Springett received Citizen of the Year achievement certificates.
Mr Lewis served 34 consecutive years in local government as a councillor, including mayor of Wingecarribee Council from 2004-08.
“This is just a wonderful place to live. I have been here since about 1950 so I have seen it go through so many changes,” Mr Lewis said.
“The people here are always willing to laugh and the camaraderie carries across people on all levels. I also love the four seasons (laughs).”
Born in England in 1932, Mr Lewis was one of countless children raised in a Dr Barnardos orphanage.
In 1950, when he was 17, he travelled to Australia, ending up at Wildes Meadow.
Since arriving in Australia, Mr Lewis has earned a reputation as a committed, hard-working and well respected citizen in the Wingecarribee Shire.
At yesterday’s ceremony Cr David Stranger spoke of Mr Lewis as a committed family man. With his wife Bette, he has two sons and six grandchildren who all reside in the area.
Mr Lewis served on the Bowral/Mittagong Meals on Wheels during 1978 to 1999, five of those years as president.
He is a long-term sportsperson having been involved in soccer, cricket and lawn bowls, serving a five-year term as president of the Illawarra Football Federation.
He was the mayoral representative at the Illawarra Academy of Sport and was a board member of the academy from 1988 to 1999.
Mr Lewis was made a life member of the Highlands United Soccer Club after serving 11 years as president.
He played 25 seasons with the Robertson/Burrawang Cricket Club and is a life member of the club.
Mr Lewis has been chairman of the Bowral Bowling Club since 2001 and was patron in 1999 and 2000.
He served four years on the Board of the Bradman Museum, was an active member of Lions International for 27 years, and served as a sidesman and is a long time parishioner of St Jude’s Anglican Church, Bowral.
Last year Mr Lewis was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in recognition of his service to the community of the Southern Highlands region through a range of local government, sporting and service organisations.
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