The man who made the 4 Villages Shipbuilders’ Heritage Walk an overwhelming success has been recognised with one of Rotary’s highest honours.
Kincumber Rotarian, Peter Rea, has received a Paul Harris Fellowship.
Recipients of the fellowship are Rotarians and community members who have made outstanding contributions, exemplifying the highest ideal in Rotary: Service Above Self.
Rea was also honoured with the Rotary Club of Kincumber’s Look Beyond Yourself Award – designed to recognise his commitment to club projects and the Heritage Walk, which is the club’s signature event.
The Walk has been developed as a community event which also provides history and heritage information to schools and the public; it is also being developed as a major Central Coast tourist event.
Started by the Rotary Club as the Kincumba Mountain Challenge Fun-Run, the event evolved into a much less strenuous and more family-oriented walk along the scenic waterfronts of Kincumber, Yattalunga, Saratoga and Davistown, which inspired the title; the 4 Villages Walk.
Popularity ebbed and flowed over the ensuing years to where a poor response in 2016 resulted in cancellation of the 2017 Walk along with the recommendation the idea be totally abandoned.
The next year Rea became Committee Chair and a distinct heritage theme was adopted, historical displays and ships models were placed along the route and a Q&A Card relating to the displays was provided with the 4 Villages Passports.
The Rotary Club of Kincumber embraced the new look, which proved popular in 2018, with over 200 Passports distributed.
In 2019 that number went up to well over 300.
A COVID cancellation in 2020 proved an opportunity to strengthen community/business connections and saw five high quality historical ship displays constructed.
This, plus additional attractions including some 90 American and English classic cars and history ferry tours, attracted more than 3,000 people to the Walk in May this year, with more than 1,000 Passports distributed.
The Walk will continue to be held on the first Sunday in May each year.
Rea said the awards received were only possible because of the support of so many fellow Rotary members and residents.
Source:
Rotary Club on Kincumber