General News
8 August, 2022
Maryborough Highland Society brings home state-wide awards for community effort
The Maryborough Highland Society has taken out three state-wide awards, including its 10th Outstanding Community Service Award in a row, in recognition for the venue’s contribution to Maryborough and surrounds. The club took out Community Clubs...
The Maryborough Highland Society has taken out three state-wide awards, including its 10th Outstanding Community Service Award in a row, in recognition for the venue’s contribution to Maryborough and surrounds.
The club took out Community Clubs Victoria’s Outstanding Community Service award, Chairman’s Award for Excellence and Community Club Manager of the Year at a gala dinner and awards night in Melbourne on Saturday.
The Highland Society is no stranger to these awards nights, having taken home a swag of accolades in the past with the weekend’s new additions coming after the club was named a finalist in eight different award categories a few weeks ago.
Maryborough Highland Society general manager Malcolm Blandthorn said each of the three awards the club received on Saturday were a surprise.
“We were finalists in eight award categories but there are no finalists for the community service awards or the chairman’s award, both of those are just announced on the night and those were very much a surprise,” he said.
“Our whole management team, myself, Jenna Townsend and Shaun Dewhirst were all named as finalists for awards and I was the lucky one on the night.
“I don’t see it as an award for me, I see it as an award for the team we have because you’re only as good as the people who surround you and we have a very capable staff and board.”
The awards for community service recognises the club’s work with The Salvation Army in providing meals for vulnerable residents during COVID lockdowns, while the chairman’s award was a nod to the venue’s work with the Pat Cronin Foundation in raising awareness of the long-term impacts of violence, organised by staff member Nick Weaver.
Mr Blandthorn said the club always tries to give back and support the community.
“We’ve always been very much of the opinion that we’re here to service our members and the wider community as well,” he said.
“We’ve got quite a few programs we’ve worked hard at putting into place over the years like our community nights which was also a finalist for an award.
“We like to be recognised for what we do in our community and how we reinvest what comes through our doors back into the community and each year we try to find a different project to focus on and during lockdowns over the last couple of years it was a bit harder.
“Recently we helped the local SES purchase their new Driver Reviver trailer and we supported the Maryborough Aeromedical Transfer Station in raising funds — we’ve got a very strong history of supporting projects in the community and that’s not going to change.”