Kingaroy LAC Thanks Dynamic Duo

August 11, 2021

“Thank you for your gift of time” … these were the words engraved on a special clock presented to John and Christine Box after they announced their retirement at this week’s Kingaroy Local Ambulance Committee AGM.

John has been president of the LAC – which supports the Kingaroy QAS through fundraising and other activities – since 2007 and Chris has been secretary since 2008.

The AGM, held on Tuesday night at the Kingaroy Ambulance Station, was attended by QAS Acting Assistant Commissioner Glen Maule who thanked John and Chris for their service and congratulated LAC members on another year of achievements.

A new executive committee was elected, including another husband and wife team: Darryl Dove (president), Kay Dove (secretary), Debbie Jackson (vice-president), Danita Potter (treasurer),  Peter McLennan (CPR awareness co-ordinator) and Kendall Siddans (history co-ordinator).

Acting Assistant Commissioner Maule also presented badges and certificates of appreciation to Debbie Jackson, Sharon Leach and Kendall Siddans who have volunteered with the LAC for 10 years.

Kingaroy QAS Officer-in-Charge Mei-Lin Dean congratulated Debbie, Sharon and Kendall on their service and thanked John and Chris “for all the time and effort they have put into the LAC over many years”.

“I know you are staying on as members of the LAC but I am sure you will enjoy the much-deserved break from the committee side of things,” Mei-Lin said.

John told the AGM it had been his privilege to serve as LAC president.

“And I thank all committee members, especially the executive for their ongoing support.  Thanks to officer-in-charge Mei-Lin Dean and the excellent team of very professional paramedics for the effective service they provide to our community by supplying the best possible pre-hospital emergency care available,” John said.

“Chris and I have decided to take a step back from the executive positions and we wish the new committee all the best in supporting the QAS staff and our Kingaroy community.”

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Some LAC Highlights Since 2007

In 2004, then-LAC president Arthur Deacon and QAS officer-in-charge Brian Long set about rebuilding the LAC committee which lost a number of volunteers due to retirements. 

A new committee was eventually formed and on March 23, 2007, its first meeting was held.

Arthur Deacon was elected president and John Box was vice-president. Three months later Arthur resigned due to work commitments and John was elected to fill the role …

The first activity for the new committee was to refurbish the old “Lucky Ticket” van and use it as a PR exercise and fundraiser at the 2007 Kingaroy Show. It was also rolled out at Peanut Festivals and Kingaroy Christmas Carnivals until it was retired and donated to the QATB/QAS ambulance museum at Highfields.

At the 2008 AGM, John invited his wife Chris to make up a quorum; she was duly elected secretary!

Over the years, LAC fundraising and lobbying has led to significant equipment upgrades for the Kingaroy ambulance, including Lifepak defibrillators, training mannequins, a pressure cleaner to wash ambulances, emergency beacons to assist helicopter night landings, handheld UHF radios and reference textbooks.

In all, the Kingaroy LAC has donated more than $100,000 worth of equipment to the Kingaroy QAS station over the past 15 years.

John was named “Achiever of the Year” at the Star Care Awards for the North Coast Region in 2009.

A highlight of his time as president was Kingaroy hosting the 2012 North Coast Region LAC Conference in Kingaroy, but the biggest success of the committee was probably the Kingaroy Ambulance Station centenary celebrations in February 2020.

The Kingaroy LAC has also been heavily involved in various community campaigns in recent years, including displays in Kingaroy Shoppingworld, CPR awareness days and Under 8s days in Memorial Park.

The committee has also organised “welcome” functions for new QAS staff members and farewells for departing workers.

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