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Trailblazer win

Martin Klumpp with wife Maureen

A PICNIC Point cricket administrator, a Belfield teacher, an Earlwood community sector advocate, a former Canterbury Deputy Mayor, and a doctor and a lawyer, both from Menai, are among those recognised in the Queens Birthday honours list this week.

Queen’s Birthday honours list

Congratulating the 1,214 recipients, Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove said they had each made “an enormous contribution to their local communities”.

“Some names on today’s list are well known,” he said.

“Many more are known only to those they help and serve day-in-day-out. They are all wonderful people and are all worthy of recognition and celebration.”

Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove

RECEIVING an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his service to cricket is an extremely humbling experience, says Martin Klumpp.

A proud member of the Bankstown Sports Cycle Club’s masters team, while Martin no longer plays cricket he has served as secretary of the Bankstown District Cricket Club since 1986.

He said because he had a young family and busy working life at the time, he originally agreed to serve as secretary for “just a couple of months” until someone more permanent could be found.

“Thirty-three years later I’m still here,” he laughed.

“I am a bit embarrassed to be singled out to be honest.

Win for all volunteers

“I accepted this award on behalf of the really amazing collective of volunteers we have at the Bankstown Cricket Club, and more broadly on behalf of all the sporting volunteers who do such an amazing job.”

Mr Klumpp said that along with his wife Maureen, who is also a dedicated volunteer with the club, he was very proud of everything they’d achieved, noting that they had produced 15 NSW representative players, as well as Australian representatives Steve and Mark Waugh whose achievements spoke for themselves.

However he said he was proudest of the development of the Bankstown Memorial Oval into “a first class venue”.

“It showcases Bankstown in such a wonderful light,” he said.

“This October we will host the Pakistan cricket team in a warm up T20 game against Australia and that’s just fantastic for the city.

“The legacy of those facilities gives me the greatest pride in the work I’ve done.”

Admitting to being initially reluctant to accept an OAM for her service to education, particularly for deaf and hearing-impaired children, Sister Patricia Bailey (OP) from Belfield, said her nomination was “a big shock”.

Sister Patricia Bailey.

“There’s a lot more people who are more deserving than I am,” she said.

“I have seen so many changes in my teaching career but my concern is that we are still not giving hearing impaired children enough support.”

Other OAM recipients included Menai residents Dr Bahia Abou-Hamad for service to multicultural affairs and to the arts; and Dr George Williams for service to medicine in the field of paediatrics and developmental disability.

FORMER Canterbury Deputy Mayor Karl Saleh said he was extremely honoured and humbled to have been recognised with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his service to the Canterbury Bankstown community.

Karl Saleh

“I honestly feel that this is not my honour – but the honour of the local multicultural community and all the amazing people around me who have supported me over the years and have made my journey a great success,” he said.

Fleeing a war-torn Lebanon in 1985, the father of four said looking back on his journey, he felt very proud.

“And I think it is really important to acknowledge Australia not only giving me a fair go but also giving me an important opportunity to have a go,” he said.

Also very humbled to be recognised with an OAM for her service to the community through social welfare organisations including the Kingsgrove Community Aid Centre, Canterbury Earlwood Caring Association and May Murray Community Centre in Marrickville, Anne Farah-Hill from Earlwood, urged people in the community sector to “keep up the fight and the passion”.

Anne Farah-Hill

“There is a lot of work being done by those in the lay community to effect change to people’s lives,” she said.

“Sometimes we feel that governments are immune to us, but by applying consistent strategies to whatever cause and passion you want to change, you will affect change.

“That’s what we do best.”