Lang Lang still top priority

By Cassie Maher
VISIT a community organisation in the Lang Lang area and odds are, you will find Gordon Sampson there.
The Gazette first met Mr Sampson in 2001 when he was named Cardinia Shire’s Australian Citizen of the Year, for his commitment and devotion to the Lang Lang community, the town where he was born and has lived for 69 years.
The CFA, Lang Lang and District Historical Society, Show Society, Community Bank and Rotary were all on Mr Sampson’s list of commitments.
His time and efforts have never gone unrecognised, the Australian Citizen of the Year award being the mere icing on the cake of a life filled with many other honorary titles and recognition.
A lot can change in five years, but for Mr Sampson, life has just slowed down a little.
“As the years go on, you don’t lose your enthusiasm for being in organisations, but you do lose the energy,” he said.
In particular, Mr Sampson’s involvement in the fire brigade, which he joined in 1957, has had to take a back seat, allowing him to put more time and effort into his other loves.
“The Show Society has been my main energy for last seven years, but lately I have been focusing more on the Historical Society,” Mr Sampson said.
“We are about to open up a museum in the old infant welfare centre in Kester Kitchen Park.
“It opens on 23 October and will house photos and documents from various events and organisations in Lang Lang from over the years.”
The Lang Lang community and surrounds will no doubt benefit from the historical documentation, with younger generations for years to come being able to see where their town began and what it has achieved.
Perhaps Mr Sampson had his four grandchildren in mind when starting the project. The fourth arriving after the Gazette’s 2001 meeting.
“The four grandkids are all up in Wonthaggi so we go up to visit them probably once a fortnight,” Mr Sampson said.
A highlight over the last couple of years for Mr Sampson and his wife of 36 years, Nola, has been travelling to Chicago for the International Rotary Convention, a group he is still very much an active part of.
Mr Sampson now works parttime in his electrical business and spends more time enjoying the important things in life, like his three sons, Leigh, Craig and David.
“I really like to be able to get down and help Leigh with his cattle and land as much as I can,” he said.
“My wife and I would also like to travel around Australia some time in the future, there’s a lot we haven’t seen yet.”
When asked why he volunteers so much time and effort into the community, the answer is simple for Mr Sampson.
“When you live in a small town like Lang Lang, if you want something done, you need to do it yourself,” he said.