Kendall residents have acknowledged the winning the 2007 NSW Community of the Year award with a community dinner.
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The event was held at the Kendall Services and Citizens Club.
While the evening was used to look back at the award – including the formation of the Community Networking Group – the night also celebrated the many positive stories to flow from the award win just a decade ago.
Kendall Community Preschool director Susan Crowle said the Kendall community is remarkable.
“Mavis Barnes invited the original award submission author, Alison Haylett, to be guest of honour at the most recent dinner,” she said.
“And that’s where the stories started: from the preschool, which has the smallest members, to the sporty members of the Kendall Tennis Club, the camaraderie of the Kendall Men’s Shed, and the keepers of the history – the Kendall Historical Society, there were so many wonderful reminders of what a community can do for the people it nurtures and serves.
“There were members of so many other groups present and their stories of ingenious camphor laurel tree removal techniques, cheap building acquisitions – like the Bookends building – and support of the disadvantaged in far off Burma, were well received and added to the celebratory feel of the community dinner.
“It was notable that the generosity of the successful Kendall Community Op-Shop provides a generous helping hand to many community events and organisations.
“These include, the early days of providing a swimming pool for the community to seeing their new plans for expansion come to fruition, they have so often been the reason that their fellow community groups are able to do the things they dream of.
“Not only does the Op-Shop provide a place for volunteers to enjoy working together, they are a more significant part of the fabric of the community than they possibly know and are to be deeply thanked.”
Ms Crowle said the dinner was a wonderful way to celebrate community and to appreciate the variety of passionate people who continue to strengthen the community by being involved, dedicated members of their groups.
Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams, praised the Kendall community and the wonderful commitment she sees in the supportive, connected way the people of Kendall unite and prosper.