IAN CARTER was named Merbein’s Citizen of the Year at the town’s annual Australia Day breakfast bash at Kenny Park.
He dressed down for the occasion: straw hat and tank top, tastefully co-ordinated with knee-length board shorts of arresting hue.
In his defence, he was taken by surprise; Mr Carter’s family knew of the impending award to the man credited as the saviour of the Merbein Football Club, and lured him to Kenny Park on the pretext of hearing his 12-year-old son Chase recite an Australia Day poem.
A man who leaves little to chance, Mr Carter spent much of this week exhorting his son to learn well a poem he knew he would never recite.
They were in a throng of some 400 locals drawn to Kenny Park yesterday by the aroma of frying bacon, sausages, onion and eggs, laid on by Merbein’s service clubs. Long-time Merbein resident Councillor Susan Nichols presented the awards.
In 2009, as the Magpie heart fluttered and threatened to stop beating, it was Ian Carter who initiated cardiac massage. As new club president, he organised a campaign to raise funds to keep the senior team on the field, and win back community support, which had waned after the club’s back-to-back premierships in 2002-03.
A horticulturist and local truck driver, Mr Carter once played basketball for the Merbein Cobras, but was never a Magpie footballer. Neither of his sons has yet donned the black and white, but cometh the hour, cometh the man: in 2009, he took on the presidency of the club, and the challenge of leading its revival.
In her citation, Merbein Development Association chair Raywin Jamieson said his only agenda had been to maintain the football club for the Merbein community.
“Ian, his wife, daughter and sons, gave up many of their weekends to fundraise so the club could secure a coach, players and support staff,” she said.
“His preparedness to raise funds means our local athletes and our children have somewhere to pursue and enjoy their sporting opportunities.”
Mrs Jamieson said the Merbein Development Association, in considering his nomination as Citizen of the Year, had turned a blind eye to Mr Carter’s one-eyed support for AFL club Essendon.
She described him as “a tireless worker who received no accolades”, who was extremely worthy of the award.
Mr Carter confessed himself “flabbergasted and extremely proud”, but said no one person could take credit for putting the Merbein Football and Netball Club back on track after its downturn, and paid tribute to Vicki Krake and Craig Congress for their contributions.
Merbein’s Senior Citizen of the Year was Sister Marion McDonald for her work in pastoral care and devotion to assisting members of the Merbein community over the past 10 years.
The Junior Citizen of the Year was Allira Gray, 12, the youngest registered volunteer with the Merbein Chaffey Aged Care Centre.
Mrs Jamieson praised Allira, daughter of David and Janine Gray, for her care and commitment over a number of years, to the aged residents.
“She is more than a volunteer to many lonely residents – most residents regard her as a friend, and look forward to her visits and smiling face,” she said.
“She visits almost every day after school, assists with organising bingo and exercise sessions and provides pet therapy to the residents. She brightens their day.”
The Merbein Community Branch of the Bendigo Bank received the award for Community Organisation of the Year.
Since it was established in 2005, the bank has granted or pledged funding of $218,000 for the Merbein community, Sunraysia sporting clubs, schools, and historical and cultural organisations.
Branch manager Rob Libchard accepted the bank’s award.
This article appeared in Friday's Sunraysia Daily 27/1/2012.
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