STAFF WRITERS
GLENYS Ralls and Bob Moss, two Trafalgar stalwarts, were awarded joint Trafalgar Citizens of the Year for 2023.
Both have contributed to the Trafalgar community over a number of years in different fields, and are both very worthy recipients. Glenys has been a lifelong member of the Trafalgar community, throughout which time she has raised her family and been a reliable support to a wide variety of community groups. From the early days of Young Farmers then play group, she became a committee member in scouts, guides and pony club and acted as timekeeper to the football club during the 1980s and 90s. She has volunteered many hours of her time at St Joseph’s Primary School and helped there, over the 40 years of her children and grandchildren’s lives. As time moved on, Glenys assisted with events and functions with the Country Women’s Association and volunteered for Meals on Wheels for many years. St John’s Catholic Church has awarded her a life membership, recognising her volunteer support with cleaning, donations and help with other church members. She has been a member of Trafalgar and District Historical Society for many years, having held the position of treasurer and magazine sales officer. She is currently a member of a Trafalgar Bible Study Group, Probus, and also volunteers at Andrews House. Glenys enjoys many other activities in the Gippsland area, such as volunteering weekly at 3WA Radio in Morwell and ballroom dancing, to which she transports those in the community who are unable to drive themselves. When told she had received the Citizen of the Year award, Glenys said she was surprised and thought that the phone call must have been for something else. Then, subsequently going through her community activities over the past 50 years, she even surprised herself with the amount of volunteering she had undertaken, thanking the many people who helped her on her journey through the various organisations in which she has been involved. She said her parents were also a significant influence on her as both were heavily involved in volunteering activities within the Trafalgar community. Quoting St Mary Mackillop, Glenys sees her attitude to the community as “never see the need without doing something about it”. Bob Moss will be currently recognised for his monthly article in Traf News, outlining Trafalgar Holden Museum’s car of the month. However, his outstanding contribution to the museum includes everything from painting walls, cleaning, restoring displays, hosting tour groups, writing articles for their display boards and leading the cataloguing team. He tirelessly researches records of all exhibits and his wealth of knowledge is considered irreplaceable. Bob is familiar with taking on responsible roles in a variety of community groups. He was secretary of Trafalgar Primary School Council and Trafalgar Football Club for several years, coached junior football and was awarded Clubman of the Year for his efforts there. He took his turn as cub leader in Trafalgar Scout Group, helping boys towards earning their badges, organising camps and competitions with other district cub packs, plus support for the paper and bottle drives about town. He also led bushwalks for several years with West Gippsland Bushwalking Club. More recently, Bob is an active member of Probus, having served time as president, secretary and tour leader. He helped upgrade the Trafalgar RSL building and the relocation of the cenotaph, and compiled articles and photographs for a book covering the Trafalgar postal and telephone history. Bob was also very pleased to receive the award, saying he felt proud to receive it, and appreciated it very much, and the fact that others thought he was worthy to receive it. Humbly, he said that he didn’t expect to receive the award, and that he “just did what normal people would do”. No nominations for the Trafalgar’s Youth Citizen of the Year were received.
