By Leonie Fuge
The Warwick Town Hall was packed on Australia Day with community members gathered to celebrate the achievements of their fellow citizens and welcome our newest Australians.
After the citizenship ceremony was completed, the nominates for the Australia Day awards were acknowledged with the Southern Downs Citizen of the Year awarded to a champion of volunteering, Rosalyn Keim.
Rosalyn was joined by family and friends at the ceremony who cheered loudly for her as Mayor Vic Pennisi handed over her award and framed certificate acknowledging her continued service to the local community.
Being a dedicated volunteer for much of her life, whether serving in regional town tuckshops and P&C committees or carrying more responsibilities as President of the Warwick Leukemia Foundation and Lions Club Disaster Coordinator for the West, Rosalyn was adamant that recognising volunteers on Australia Day is a truly Australian value.
“I am in a state of shock that I won another award, and very humbled,” said Rosalyn. “Though I am pleased that the local awards go to volunteers because without volunteers our communities wouldn’t run.”
“There are so many aspects of our region that exist because of volunteers,“ she said. “Think of our sporting clubs, community groups like Rotary and Lions, and the Steam Railway and Show Society. So many groups are run by volunteers that have a big impact on our lives.“
Rosalyn believes that honouring volunteers was extremely important and said, “There is not enough recognition of volunteers and the great work they do for Australia.”
In addition to Rosalyn’s work with the Cancer Foundation, the Leukemia Foundation and the Lions Club, Rosalyn continues to be an active member on the board of the Akooramac Care of Older Persons and a volunteer for Driver Reviver.
“Driver Reviver helps to save lives,” said Rosalyn. “When I did the midnight to 6 am shift we would get people who had driven from Melbourne and heading to Brisbane. We would encourage them to have a sleep and promise to wake them in the early morning saying they would arrive by 8 am. This gave them that break they had needed.”
It is clear that Rosalyn’s passion for serving the community always takes priority, as after winning her awards she didn’t go and celebrate with family, but headed to the Driver Reviver to hand out cups of coffee and tea and chat with weary drivers.
Rosalyn has placed the two awards she received on Australia Day, the Citizen of the year for Southern Downs (Northern Region) and the Citizen of the Year of the Southern Downs, on the mantle piece her grandfather made over 100 years ago, with her prestigious Lions Community Service Award 2022.
With invitations for interviews for radio and news articles, Rosalyn said to her daughter, “This is getting to be a bit of an embarrassment now.”
Rosalyn made it very clear that her volunteering is not motivated by awards, but in serving her community she has gained and continues to gain more than she ever offers to others.
