Five chosen for trust awards

RECENT Order of Australia medal recipient Jason Ronald will be guest speaker at this year’s PB Ronald Memorial Trust 2007 Awards presentation dinner.
The annual awards dinner will be held at the Pakenham Football Club social rooms at Toomuc Reserve, Pakenham, next Tuesday, 6 March.
Jason is a son of the late PB Ronald.
Trust chairman Tim Ahern said the trust was formed to assist people furthering their education in agriculture, horticulture and local government.
“Five people have been chosen as trust awardees this year,” Mr Ahern said.
Last year’s awardees will also have the opportunity to tell how the trust assisted them in their studies.
Trust awardees are presented with a certificate and a monetary award.
Mr Ahern said the awardees had previously been younger people but the award had been opened up to enable those who may be choosing to retrain or undertake study later in life to benefit.
About 100 people are expected to attend this year’s dinner.
The PB Ronald Memorial Trust was established in 1991 with the support of the Rotary Club of Pakenham, Shire of Pakenham, Pakenham Agricultural and Horticultural Society and Pakenham Racing Club to perpetuate the memory of the late Peter Ronald.
More than 40 people have been given financial assistance from the trust over the years.
Peter Bruce Ronald died in 1989, aged 67.
He was a farmer at Pakenham with a broad range of community interest and involvement.
He served as a shire councillor and shire president.
He served on committees of the Pakenham Agricultural and Horticultural Society and Pakenham Racing Club.
Mr Ahern said Mr Ronald was known for encouraging the efforts of young people in their endeavours.