From coaching tennis to running the football club canteen, weeding the neighbourhood house garden and baking slices for Anglican church fundraisers, whenever there’s been a job that’s needed doing in Lancefield, Loraine Kraus has been there.
But while the citation for her Macedon Ranges citizen of the year award described her as the heart and soul of the town, Mrs Kraus insists she’s done nothing particularly special. Rather, she’s simply done whatever she could to help people in the place she’s called home for close to 50 years.
“Anything that people ask me to do, I just do it,” she says.
“I’ve never really batted an eye about it. I just do things and don’t expect to be recognised.”
Mrs Kraus says her Australia Day award, presented at a ceremony at Kyneton Town Hall on Tuesday, came as a complete surprise.
“I didn’t know anything about it [the award],” she says.
“I’m not the kind of person who likes praise … I’d rather they just said ‘thanks Loraine’ and that was it.
“Someone recently asked why I’m always helping, and I didn’t really have an answer. A friend of mine said ‘it’s because you’re very community minded’. I suppose that’s a good way to put it.”
Mrs Kraus was a driving force behind Lancefield Tennis Club’s efforts to raise money for new lights and courts. She’s also keenly involved in the campaign for the restoration of the town’s Christ Church.
It’s all part of community life, she says.
“When you’ve got nice people working together, you can get some great things done.”
OTHER WINNERS
Other Macedon Ranges winners announced on Australia Day included young citizen of the year Sharina Mayman, 15. The Sacred Heart College student created a local bullying and mental health awareness campaign called Think About It after seeing the impact on family and friends.
The community event of the year was Macedon Ranges Health’s annual colour run/walk. Kyneton theatre veteran Alan Stone was named arts ambassdor.
Community achievement awards were presented to Riddells Creek mother, business owner and teacher’s aide Deb Mitrevics, Mount Macedon dawn service stalwart Dr Frank Donovan and Woodend and District Heritage Society treasurer Rosemary Wilkinson.
