GROWING up as a Girl Guide in a big Colac family, Dianne McGrath developed her strong social conscience early.<\/p>\n
Working as a teacher and more recently a casual academic at ACU, she\u2019s always had thoughtful projects on the go, mindful of others\u2019 challenges.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why she\u2019s been awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia in the Australia Day honours for her \u2018service to international humanitarian programs, and to the community of Ballarat.\u2019<\/p>\n
The current president of the Ryder-Cheshire Australia Ballarat Support Group, her team fundraises to provide \u201crelief of suffering,\u201d through the charity\u2019s two homes in East Timor and India, and three in Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of these homes deal with illness, disabilities, people who are suffering in some form or other. Each home is slightly different. Some have an educational base as well,\u201d Ms McGrath said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur group here in Ballarat got thinking about our community, and there are people suffering here, so we chose two groups to give support; The Soup Bus and The Shower Bus.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms McGrath is especially proud of her \u201cground-breaking\u201d research work with girls in schools. She\u2019s fond of Chinese dragon, Gum Loong, which she built with Canadian Lead, Sebastopol and Mount Blowhard Primary Schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was to bring an understanding of Australia as part of the Asia-Pacific area, and it was fantastic for our school communities, kids and all.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat led me to the Ballarat China Community Committee at the City of Ballarat,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The group annually runs tours to help people reclaim their Chinese heritage, and coordinates the China Challenge, a competition prompting the region\u2019s schools to understand Chinese language and culture.<\/p>\n
Whether completing a teaching fellowship in Pennsylvania, giving emotional and physical support to the Timorese, belonging to Ballarat Friends of Ainaro, or receiving a Sovereign Order of ancient group, Saint John of Jerusalem, Ms McGrath has always emphasised the power of teamwork.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat [the Australia Day Honour] is all about is not me. I\u2019m always in a group where each member plays a part,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s working with people, never me alone. Creating together for greater good.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s taken Ms McGrath a little while to come to terms with the \u201cspecial\u201d award.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t claim all this just for me personally. I\u2019m totally humbled and I can\u2019t explain how I feel, but incredibly overwhelmed,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat I do is so much part of the community, and my community is Ballarat. My work stems further than that, but it all originated here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reflecting on her \u201cwonderful life\u201d of \u201ceclectic\u201d projects, a famous comment came Ms McGrath\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have this beautiful quote that I just love from Muhammad Ali. \u2018Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.\u2019 I really believe this,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a fantastic, huge family, great friends, great colleagues, and many have inspired me. My service back to community is to say thank you, and to look after each other.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GROWING up as a Girl Guide in a big Colac family, Dianne McGrath developed her strong social conscience early. Working as a teacher and more recently a casual academic at ACU, she\u2019s always had thoughtful projects on the go, mindful of others\u2019 challenges. That\u2019s why she\u2019s been awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia […]<\/p>\n