Noble Park RSL’s Gordon Murray and Mark Wilkinson say that their community involvement was paramount to being awarded Victorian sub-branch of the year.
By Helena Adeloju
NOBLE Park RSL, chosen as co-winner of the Victorian sub-branch of the year for this year, scored points with the judges for its community focus.
Competition among the 300 sub-branches this year was so tough that the judges couldn’t pick an outright winner from Noble Park and Rosebud.
Noble Park president Gordon Murray said his sub-branch came out on top because of the community initiatives it introduced over the past year.
These included innovative programs for refugees, the homeless and veterans.
“We’ve taken the purpose of the RSL’s to another level within the community,” Mr Murray said.
“A lot of people think RSLs are just about veterans telling war stories, but at Noble Park that’s not what it’s about.”
Noble Park had recently been given a bad name over a few local incidents that prompted widespread criticism, Mr Murray said.
“Until the RSL started to get involved no one offered to help fix the problems within the community,” he said.
“Someone has to step up and work to help, because we have to start somewhere.”
Thanks to the award Mr Murray now sees a bright future in Noble Park and is looking forward to developing relationships between cultural groups within the area.
“Noble Park is really starting to go ahead now ,” he said.
The RSL will celebrate the award at a dinner for program volunteers next month.
