A FORMER Kangaroo Flat fire brigade captain has received a medal for a staggering 65 years of service to the CFA.
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Bill Bowery received the 65 year membership medal at Kangaroo Flat CFA's awards night on Saturday.
Held at the Kangaroo Flat Sports Centre, about 80 members and people from other service clubs and sister brigades attended the awards night, as well as special guests Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards and Barry Lyons.
Operations officer for district 2, Bruce Quarrier, said it was an honour to present Mr Bowery with the award.
"It was an honour and a privilege to be able present Bill with his 65," he said.
He said the length of service he continued to give was "quite outstanding".
"We don’t hand out too many awards for that type of service," he said.
"He would be among the longest serving members I've ever presented to, if not the longest."
Mr Quarrier said Mr Bowery was a captain of Kangaroo Flat fire brigade for about 20 years some 30 years ago and now worked as a Loddon Mallee Region Community Education Officer at the brigade.
"The thing about Bill, he’s still very active in the brigade, still active in the community education group," he said.
"He does a lot of work behind the scenes, especially back in the fires of 2009, he can’t do much out on the foreground anymore but does a lot to support members out there.
"He does an amazing job, he’s also very active in the championship committee and helping organise the fire brigade state championship held in Bendigo this year and next year."
Mr Quarrier said Mr Bowery had shared the spotlight on the night with his "partner in crime", Ken Deveraux, who was honoured with a medal for his 55 years of service at the brigade.
"They were very popular, well received medal recipients," he said.