AT the annual Rotary Club of Collie changeover dinner last Thursday night, Rotarian Rodney Cross was awarded the club’s Citizen of the Year Award.
He was presented the award by former club president Bob Greig, and received the award for his invaluable volunteer work with Riding Develops Ability Collie.
Mr Cross said he didn’t expect to be awarded the honour of being the Rotary Club of Collie citizen of the year.
“I was very surprised to get the award, I was gobsmacked.”
“There are a lot of good people in the community who are doing great things, so I didn’t think I was doing anything special,” he said.
Mr Cross has been involved with RDA Collie for 19 year, and when he is not in his day job of landscaping and garden maintenance, you will often him performing maintenance duties around the centre, which operates for free on his land.
Mr Cross was originally involved in transporting and delivering horses for RDA in its previous Collie location, and when the old centre needed to locate he didn’t think twice about allowing them to set up on his land.
“It is something that was needed in the community, and we were able to provide it.”
“You do it because it needs to be done,” he said.
His love of working with horses and children encouraged him to get involved in the project in the first place.
He said he really enjoys volunteering for the organisation, and it is rewarding when he sees the children enjoying themselves.
Mr Cross said his philosophy is simple, if everyone contributed a little to the community, the world would be a better place.
“If everyone tried a bit harder to make life a bit better it would be so much easier for everyone,” he said.
In a previous role when Mr Cross lived in the Northern Territory, he was a mentor for youth where he taught them to cook and live independently.
Mr Cross said he has no plans of ceasing his involvement with RDA any time soon and there are plans for expanding the centre in the pipeline.
Plans include a new office for staff, and a bunkhouse for people to stay in.
Mr Cross said the plan includes linking the whole area with concrete footpaths so they will be wheelchair accessible.
