Jeff Huddlestone
AFTER being awarded the City of Mount Gambier’s senior citizen of the year in January, Allen Woodham has been out and about sharing his love of community service.
The 78-year-old said he had been to various events where he had the opportunity to talk to people.
“It gives me the opportunity to talk to people, it’s been really good, I just have a heart for people,” he said.
“It means a great deal, I’m able to use that in a positive way, if it assists me to help someone else, it’s worth everything.”
Mr Woodham is no stranger to winning prestigious awards.
He is a member of the Order of Australia and a life member of the National Band Council of Australia.
Mr Woodham said his passion for brass bands was nurtured by his grandmother, who took him to see Salvation Army bands play when he was young.
“I fell in love with the brass band music and that’s been my passion right through,” he said.
When he came to Mount Gambier, Mr Woodham got involved with the Mount Gambier City Band and began organising the Blue Lake Brass Band Festival which attracts bands from around Australia.
“I’ve been doing it for 25 years now, the bands love coming here,” he said.
“The brass band community is like a world-wide group, for the last five years the festivals at the Helpmann theatre have been live-streamed around the world.”
Mr Woodham said the 2001 festival was a memorable one, as it celebrated the centenary of federation in Australia.
“We had more bands than floats that year and the then Governor General attended,” he said.
Serving in his third term as city band president, Mr Woodham recently oversaw the re-roofing of the band hall, thanks to funding from Stand Like Stone.
Following in their father’s footsteps, Mr Woodham’s three daughters all play an instrument and are in orchestras.
Also along for the ride is Sandra, Mr Woodham’s wife, who he said helped out with all his musical endeavours.
“She’s quite proud of my community service, I couldn’t do what I do without her, she makes sure things are right,” he said.
“The old saying that behind a good man is a good woman is very true.”
As well as musical interests, Mr Woodham’s other passions include steam trains, in line with this he ran the steam equipment and boilers at Kimberly-Clark in Millicent for 28 years.
Mr Woodham remembered an awards evening where he was presented a 25 Year Service Award.
He said the manager presented him the award, then announced he was the only applicant for that job.
“That took the wind out of my sails a bit,” he said.
“It was a very happy life there, they were a wonderful company to work for.”
In 1996 Mr Woodham joined the Mount Gambier Lions Club and then in 2005 he was presented a Melvin Jones Fellowship, the highest award in Lions.
“That was quite mind blowing, because I just do what I do,” he said.