Honour for living legend – Moorabool’s Citizen of the Year

By Lachlan Ellis

He’s spent more than 40 years in volunteer roles to benefit young people, and now an 88-year-old Bacchus Marsh man has been justly awarded Moorabool’s Citizen of the Year for 2022.

Local legend Bob Closter has spent about half of his life involved with the Bacchus Marsh Pony Club, including eight years as its President in the 1980s.

He has also been involved with local cricket and football, serving as Vice President of the Maddingley Football Club when they entered the Ballarat Football League, prior to the merger with Bacchus Marsh.

But despite his many years of service, Mr Closter says he was shocked to get a call from the Mayor, telling him he’d won the prestigious award.

“It was a real surprise, to be quite honest. I wasn’t counting on receiving anything, but it’ll gradually sink in, I think. It’s a great honour…I’ve lived here all my life,” he told the Moorabool News.

“I was a rider all my life, on my mother’s side they showed horses, that’s where it all started and where I learnt. I got involved with the Pony Club when I had my own daughters, and then next thing you know, I was President of the Club,” Mr Closter said.

“Those were the good times, when everything went well…we had a huge amount of riders, 120 at one point while I was President. I was lucky, we had a good Committee and we all worked well together, and oversaw a lot of changes.”

Mr Closter says he never expected accolades for his voluntary roles – he helped solely to help young people have fun.

“I love the Club, I got a lot of enjoyment out of my own daughters and other children. I’ve spent a lot of time with young people – my grandsons at junior cricket and football too, that sort of thing,” he said.

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-01-25

in the 25 January 2022 edition
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pick up a paper around your town.