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Garth Keech is well accustomed to Australia Day commemorations.
For the past 15 years, he has organised a January 26 breakfast in his hometown of Strathfieldsaye.
But the Bendigo businessman and volunteer will be the focus of the 2017 ceremonies after he was named Bendigo’s Citizen of the Year.
The honour was bestowed on the 60-year-old Keech Australia director for his two decades of service to Strathfieldsaye community organisations, particularly the town’s first scouts group.
Not only has he filled several positions on the group’s committee, but he also oversaw the rebuilding and refurbishing of its scout hall.
Mr Keech is also a fixture of Strathfieldsaye sport clubs, coaching soccer with the Colts and acting as a medic for the town’s football team.
Girton Grammar School students have played volleyball under his tutelage too.
The honouree was humble when asked about his volunteer work, saying he just “tagged along” to his four children’s sporting commitments and offered “support in the background”.
But community service was part of his personality, he said.
“It's in my nature not to be able to say ‘no’ and help out wherever I can,” he said.
It was because of its community-mindedness Mr Keech committed himself to the scouting movement.
“(It is an) opportunity for them (scouts) to become community-minded, to be involved with that community, to be help out, the opportunity to develop leadership skills and life skills,” he said.
His dedication to Bendigo is obvious. He supported several fundraising appeals and despite moving from Sydney 22 years ago, he still boasted to friends about Bendigo’s assets, including its parkland and his short commute to work.
"A little bit more rain would be nice," he said, laughing.
While the Citizen of the Year announcement will bring to Mr Keech into the Bendigo CBD on Australia Day, he will still spend the morning at his Strathfieldaye breakfast.
It's in my nature not to be able to say ‘no’ and help out wherever I can.
- Garth Keech, Citizen of the Year
About 600 residents attend the event.
The day was a celebration of “all things Australian”, he said.
“It’s that easy going mateship, the camaraderie you see and people just getting out.”
Mark Kearney
Journalist. Traveller. Pop culture connoisseur. Mark is passionate about education, the arts and social justice, especially stories affecting the LGBTI community.
Journalist. Traveller. Pop culture connoisseur. Mark is passionate about education, the arts and social justice, especially stories affecting the LGBTI community.
