Gerroa’s community stalwarts get " life "

GERROA Community Association has honoured four of its members with lifetime memberships for their contributions to the Neighbourhood Watch program and the community.

Nancye and Neville Hawke and Bob and Judith Hamilton have all been involved with Neighbourhood Watch for more than 20 years and are now retiring from holding official offices.

Nancye and Neville were involved in founding the Gerroa Neighbourhood Watch group more than two decades ago. The group is one of the few remaining active on the South Coast.

"In those days there was a police station in Gerringong and one of the policemen lived (in Gerroa)," Nancye said.

"He told us about the Neighbourhood Watch program and we could see the advantages of it.

"We feel it has contributed over the years to keeping the crime down , not that we have much crime here , especially at Christmas times." Nancye has been the secretary and treasurer of the group, while her husband was one of eight co-ordinators.

Nancye has received many honours before for her volunteer work, including a Premier"s Seniors Week award in 1996 and a volunteer award on 2001. She was Kiama"s 1997 Citizen of the Year.

Both agreed the Neighbourhood Watch would do just fine without them, although they would continue to be involved.

Bob Hamilton said he and his wife Judith felt honoured by the recognition, however, deferred to Nancye as the originator of the group.

"We"ve just helped with the continuation of the Neighbourhood Watch; keeping it alive over the years," he said.