Malcolm Day, a longstanding member of the community, has been recognized as the Coorong Council’s Citizen of the Year for Meningie.
If you’ve ever been in the region you may have noticed many of the lawns and gardens in the township look pretty tidy. Since his retirement, Malcolm has been meticulously mowing road verges and the grounds of various community and sporting clubs, spanning around 4.5 hectares of land, as well as tending to the rose garden at Meningie Lions Jubilee Park.
Throughout his professional life in Coomandook and in his retirement in Meningie, Council says Malcolm has demonstrated a profound commitment to the well-being of his fellow citizens, particularly in advocating for men’s mental health.
“His efforts to foster a sense of camaraderie among the male population of Meningie through initiatives like the Coorong Mechanical and Restoration Club and Meningie Men’s Club are commendable,” Council’s commendation reads.
“By organizing monthly men’s luncheons, Malcolm has provided a platform for open dialogue and support, recognizing the importance of addressing mental health issues within the community.”
Malcolm has told ARN’s Adam Connelly and Jennie Lenman that his mother and father inspired his lifelong passion for community engagement and volunteering.
“It’s been all my life, probably driven way back in the early 40s and 50s when my parents were very involved in all the things that happened in their area and I saw that growing up, and from there I followed on and joined every group that I can like CFS … I’ve been with the Agricultural Bureau at Yumali and Coomandook … and along the way you have some children so you finish up following them through the football era … and that meant being involved in the clubs and working bees along the way,” he told ARN’s Adam Connelly and Jennie Lenman.
“I would like to encourage anyone that’s got a bit of spare time, find somewhere that you can go and do some voluntary work,” he said.
Hear more Malcolm Day’s chat with ARN’s Jennie Lenman and Adam Connelly via the audio play window below:
