By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
Mr Donald Fraser DUFFY
Pakenham Upper
For service to horse racing and to the community of Pakenham
A PASSION for community is what inspires Don Duffy to volunteer.
The Pakenham identity has maintained a strong involvement with the Pakenham Racing Club since 1993 and has held the position of chairman for the past 12 years.
In that time, he’s played an integral role in the transformation of the club.
“We were a small country racing club racing on the old site in Pakenham, holding 11 race meetings a year,” he said.
“Now, we’re out a new track and holding over 40 meetings each year. It’s very different club to what it was back then.”
His association with the organisation began after he was approached by the late David Burke, who served as secretary at the club for four decades.
“He approached me and asked me to join the committee.
“I didn’t have any involvement in racing, but we were on the Agricultural and Horticultural Society together and he invited me to come across.”
Holding influential positions at both clubs was no issue for Mr Duffy, who is a partner at Duffy and Simon Lawyers in Pakenham.
Joining the Agricultural and Horticultural Society in 1977, Mr Duffy was appointed vice-president in 1988 before serving as president from 1992-1994.
As with all of his volunteer work, the interests of the Pakenham community moved Mr Duffy to take up a position on the society.
“Back in those days, it was a very active agricultural society. We ran an annual show at the racecourse with lots of exhibits from farmers,” he said.
“It has dwindled a bit as the numbers of farmers and orchardists diminished over the years.”
His role as president involved running the committee meetings, ensuring that all the subcommittees were operating effectively and co-ordinating the annual show.
In 1990, Don again responded to a call for help.
The Pakenham Cemetery Trust did not have enough trustees and advertised for volunteers who would be willing to take up the role.
“There was an initial overhaul of the cemetery and then it was about maintaining it,” he recalled.
“We put in new administration, new policies and tidied the cemetery up – it had fallen into disrepair.”
Now a thriving piece of history within Cardinia Shire, the cemetery celebrated its 150th anniversary earlier this year.
With five children all attending school within the area, John had an ongoing investment in the future of the Cardinia Shire.
In 1997, he was invited to join the school board at St Margaret’s School in Berwick, where both of his daughters attended high school. After two years on the board, he served as chairman from 1999-2001.
He is now a life governor of the board.
“It was a matter of running board meetings, attending school functions, presenting prizes and representing the best interests of the school,” he said.
“Being involved in a school community is a very uplifting experience. We are privileged to be able to support these young people in growing academically and physically, through sport and music.”
After decades of involvement with various community groups, Mr Duffy’s volunteering is now more concentrated.
For the past year, he has spent at least one day a week working towards the opening of Pakenham Racing Club’s new polytrack at Tynong.
His hard work came to fruition last month when races were held on the track for the first time.
“It was a thrilling experience to finally see it open and so well-received by the community.”
While he says it is a huge honour to be included on this year’s list, he is characteristically unselfish about the achievement.
“I think it’s fabulous that volunteers within the community are recognised.
“There are so many people in the community whose efforts go unsung, who are just as deserving as I am.”
