Cut the cake: (From left) Betty and Dom Segafredo, Cheryl Alexander and Ken and Betty Muir.
After 50 years of service, the Kiwanis Club of Shepparton celebrated its golden jubilee on December 14 at the Royal Mail Hotel.
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Kiwanis Australia district governor Tony Gunn and City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Kim O'Keeffe attended to officially present the Legion of Honour to long-serviing members, recognising their work for the community since 1971.
Members of other regional Kiwanis clubs also attended, with some of the clubs having been set up with the help of the Shepparton branch members in past decades.
Members enjoyed dinner and chatting about what was happening at the various clubs.
Charter members Ken Muir and Dom Segafredo were recognised for 50 years of service to the community with Kiwanis.
Norm Mitchelmore has served for 40 years and Bruce Trotter for 30 years.
“They don’t look for recognition,” Shepparton Kiwanis life member Gael Thompson said.
"Because they're more interested in providing a service to their community.“
A themed cake with the Kiwanis logo was cut by president Cheryl Alexander, the charter members and their wives.
Cut the cake: (From left) Betty and Dom Segafredo, Cheryl Alexander, Ken and Betty Muir.
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Mayoral commendation: (From left) Betty and Dom Segafredo, Kim O’Keefe, Ken and Betty Muir
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Decades of service: Dom Segafredo, Cheryl Alexander
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Recognition of service: Dom Segafredo, Tony Gunn.
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Mayoral address: Mayor thanks the Kiwanis members for their service.
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Selfless sacrifice: Tony Gunn and Ken Muir.
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Pillars of the community: Dom Segafredo, Ken Muir, Norm Mitchelmore.
A Legion of Honour is presented after 25 years of service and every five years after that.
The Shepparton Kiwanis club provides support to children in need through provision of funds to schools and donations to children's activities to improve the health of children.
A notable example is the raising of funds for research into fighting heart disease in children, particularly babies with heart defects.
Club members also deliver meals on wheels to ensure senior citizens within the local community are receiving meals.
In the early years of the club, Ms Thompson said members were responsible for building what is now the RISE centre, a disability service that provides information and referrals for children with additional needs.
“We're still paying some of the overhead costs,” she said.
The club has supported the Shepparton Carols by Candlelight for 37 years, running a barbecue for the crowd.
“A Kiwanis Club being formed in Shepparton, the first in country Australia, offered a wonderful opportunity for worthy citizens to become members of a service organisation that ranked as one of the foremost in the world,” then president Ellis Gough said in his 1971 inaugural speech.
Ms Thompson said Kiwanis was always welcoming new members who were interested in providing a service to the local community.
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