Unofficial Galong President, John Killick, has officially had his hard work recognised by receiving an OAM for his service to the Galong community.
John’s son, John Killick Junior, says he is incredibly proud of his father, who continues to stand as an inspiration for him to strive to do/be better.
Born and bred within the Galong community, John has always been involved within the local sports community, such as tennis, football and cricket.
A former fire brigade member, John might also be recognised by the local community as the man who ran the general store for a while with his brother.
John Junior says it was somewhat overwhelming to see how many lives his father has touched as more and more people entered to celebrate John.
“I think I was more nervous than dad the night before,” he says.
“I knew some people were attending, but when I arrived and people started coming, there was about three times the amount of people from not only our family, but local Galong community members.
“I think it was absolutely wonderful and Dad got a little emotional on stage.”
John Senior, who was unwell at the time of the initial presentation and was therefore unable to attend, was presented with his own ceremony at the Mercy Care facility in Young on Monday.
“He’s a very kind person and he didn’t really want to make a fuss about it when he couldn’t attend on the Tuesday. He said, ‘don’t worry about it’,” says his son.
“Even though he’s got it now, it would have been nicer if he perhaps got it a few years earlier.”
John Junior, who was named after his incredible father, says he’s got big shoes to fill. Shoes he isn’t even sure he will be able to honour appropriately.
“Galong has always been a pretty tight knight community, and [John Senior] was the President of the Progress Association for a number of years, but he was secretary for a lot longer than that,” says John Junior.
“It was only when his health declined that he resigned.”
Despite John’s extensive and impressive resume, John Junior says his dad never seemed overwhelmed by all of the work he did.
“He always enjoys doing it,” he says.
“He enjoys people interacting with each other… From small Christmas Parties, New Year’s Eve and Clean Up Australia Day, I think he enjoyed [seeing] all of the community coming together.”
John Junior says his father has always served as an inspiration to himself, and his current involvement with community groups and his work as president of the progress association was due to his strong childhood hero.
John Senior’s work at the St Lawrence Hostel has been passed down, and John Junior says he continues his father’s legacy by helping at the facility to care for their members.
There isn’t much that John Senior hasn’t done for his hometown.
The 88-year-old resident has always worked behind the scenes, serving as a pillar of strength and support for the Galong and broader Hilltops community.
He was quietly surprised by Deputy Official Secretary to the Governor-General, Mr Jeff Barnes, as well as representatives from the Governor-General’s office who attended his celebrations to present his OAM award personally. The facility was soon bursting with surprise guests who all attended to celebrate the legendary man.
“There aren’t too many people, especially in Harden and Galong that don’t know John Killick,” says John Junior.
Alongside his 30+ years of service with the Galong and District Progress Association, John Senior has also worked as Board Secretary at the St Lawrence Home Retirement Village and acted as a Justice of the Peace for 45 years.
John has been described by many as someone “dependable, modest and deeply committed to community over recognition.”
John Junior says his dedication and love for his family has always been his father’s most admirable feature.
“Not just his children, his grandchildren and great grandchildren,” he says.
John’s family extends beyond familial blood ties, with several friends of his immediate family calling him Grandpa.
John Junior says it was an honour to celebrate his father’s exceptional legacy with him alongside their closest friends and family.
“Sometimes the ones that achieve the best in life by helping other people and caring for other people are the ones that aren’t noticed by the wider community,” he says.
“They may be noticed by the smaller community, but not the wider one.”
Despite this, John Junior says his father’s large community showed up in droves, with a guest Skype appearance from the Governor General herself.
John Senior was a long-time contributor to local media, and staff members of this paper grew to expect pages of meticulously crafted handwritten notes about Galong from a member who knew it better than any other.
– Elizabeth Kovacs
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