![Lance Boswell said he was "humbled and proud" to receive an OAM for his service to the Albury and Howlong communities as part of the 2024 King's Birthday honours. Picture by James Wiltshire Lance Boswell said he was "humbled and proud" to receive an OAM for his service to the Albury and Howlong communities as part of the 2024 King's Birthday honours. Picture by James Wiltshire](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/8e50202f-a31f-4f26-9965-2e39a0910548.JPG/r0_0_6000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
On Monday, June 10, we pay tribute to six Border and North East residents who have been recognised for their dedication to serve their communities in a wide array of roles.
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The 2024 King's Birthday honours list includes:
Lance Boswell OAM
Wherever life has taken Lance Boswell, he's enjoyed it.
Mr Boswell admitted he was "humbled and proud" to be included on the 2024 King's Birthday honours list as an OAM recipient for his service to the communities of Albury and Howlong.
"It's a very humbling experience," he said.
"The friendships made across all the organisations I've been involved with has been fabulous."
Mr Boswell, a chartered accountant for more than 30 years and manager of The Albury Club for a decade, also has a vast array of volunteer experiences under his belt.
A star footballer at Howlong, Mr Boswell captained the club in 1959 where he also won the Azzi Medal as the Hume league's best and fairest player, before going on to coach there from 1960 to 1963 while serving on the committee.
Mr Boswell was a Howlong Country Golf Club committee member, now known as Howlong Golf Resort, for 42 years from 1964 to 2006, including lengthy stints as president and treasurer. He was awarded life membership in 1983 and was the inaugural Murray District Golf Association president, of which he is also a life member.
He was a representative cricketer and served on Howlong Cricket Club's committee, before becoming a treasurer of Forrest Hill Tennis Club, but his volunteer efforts extend beyond sport.
![Lance Boswell and his wife Pam at their Albury home. Picture by James Wiltshire Lance Boswell and his wife Pam at their Albury home. Picture by James Wiltshire](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/2067a0b2-8661-45b5-90bb-6acbad9e4eb5.JPG/r0_0_5599_3733_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Boswell has been a Rotary Club of Albury West member since 1985 in various board roles and chaired the Rotary District 9790 finance committee for two years.
He held down president and treasurer positions at Albury West Primary School, Albury Preschool and Albury West Preschool, and continues to volunteer with St David's Uniting Church through the church fair organising committee.
"It's been a real pleasure being involved for so many years, with so many people, but when you're recognised it's a very pleasant surprise. It is very much appreciated," Mr Boswell said.
"We've made a lot of friends with all the people we've come in contact with across all the organisations we've been involved with. We're still involved with quite few of them now.
"Meals on Wheels is something we've done for 30-odd years with Rotary. The fellowship at the meetings with all of the other members is really fantastic and everyone gets on very well together."
Mr Boswell and his wife Pam have hosted 10 international students through Rotary's exchange program and a further five through a similar Lions Club initiative.
He was delighted to see his beloved Collingwood clinch the 2023 AFL premiership and hopes another flag is not too far around the corner.
![Gwen Chisholm and her late husband Brian Chisholm OAM outside the Berrigan Sports Ground in 2018. Picture supplied Gwen Chisholm and her late husband Brian Chisholm OAM outside the Berrigan Sports Ground in 2018. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/b3ecefd1-e224-4221-93d6-1bd2d1b472d4.JPG/r0_0_2049_1537_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Gwen Chisholm OAM
You'd struggle to find a person in Berrigan who hasn't met Gwen Chisholm.
Her willingness to lend a hand around the town's football-netball and cricket clubs for more than 50 years has seen her recognised with an OAM as part of the King's Birthday honour's list.
Mrs Chisholm was in her teens when she joined the Berrigan Football Netball Club ladies auxiliary in 1964, where she would go on to be president, and became a member of the Berrigan Cricket Club the same year.
She took charge of the catering for both to ensure the town's sportspeople and supporters were always well fed.
Mrs Chisholm received life membership from both clubs in 1993, but continued on in her roles until 2018.
Her grandson Dylan Forge, who spoke on Mrs Chisholm's behalf, couldn't be more proud of his grandmother's achievements.
"Football was always very big within the family. Her dad, Jim Clements, played for Berrigan Football Club and her brother Bill went on to play for Richmond when he was in his 20s," he said.
"She was the president of the ladies committee for quite a while organising catering, which included things popping up like funerals or birthdays."
Mr Forge revealed Mrs Chisholm was also an outstanding ballroom dancer and was named the Murray Valley Football League's Belle of Belles in 1961.
"It was more than just dancing and being the best dressed, it was like a showgirl position where she became a representative for talking about the community," he said.
Her late husband Brian Chisholm received an OAM in 2023 for his many years of service to Berrigan. He played 12 games in the VFL for South Melbourne in 1960 and was also a representative cricketer, supported all the way by his beloved wife.
Mrs Chisholm was crowned Berrigan Football Netball Club's Club Person of the Year and received a volunteer recognition award from the AFL in 2018.
"I'm very happy Grandma has got the award (OAM). She's a stalwart for the community and the community loves her," Mr Forge said.
"Berrigan, being such a small town, and volunteering most of her life, just about every Saturday and Sunday, she knows everyone and everyone knows her."
![Boomerang Bags launch in Beechworth. Josie Cornish and Iris Mannik with Hotch Potch's Emma Lang. They delivered the first bags to her shop in 2017. Picture by Mark Jesser Boomerang Bags launch in Beechworth. Josie Cornish and Iris Mannik with Hotch Potch's Emma Lang. They delivered the first bags to her shop in 2017. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/6589b93e-2db2-4148-8274-808939d60315.jpg/r0_0_4923_3277_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Josie Cornish OAM
Josie Cornish wanted to offer her support to the Beechworth community as soon as she moved there.
Having relocated to the North East from Melbourne in 2014, Mrs Cornish was no stranger to volunteering and happily continued with it.
"I hit the ground running. I joined the Beechworth Salvation Army thrift shop the first day I got here," she said.
"It makes it all worth it. It's just amazing. I've been volunteering all my life and my daughter always supported me.
"I was a single mum for 10 years and then got married and my husband and son joined in helping. It was just part of life."
She has been recognised as part of the King's Birthday honours with an OAM for her service to Beechworth and the Melbourne suburbs of Altona and Deer Park.
Mrs Cornish held leader roles for Deer Park and Trentham Cliffs Girl Guides and Deer Park Brownies through the 1970s and 80s, before she joined Altona Lions Club in 2001.
She transferred to Beechworth upon her arrival in 2014 and is now an international member of West Virginia's Friendly Lions Club in the US.
"I love that because we go over every two years and and do projects there," she said.
![Josie Cornish completes her leg of the 2018 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay in Wangaratta in 2018. Picture by James Wiltshire Josie Cornish completes her leg of the 2018 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay in Wangaratta in 2018. Picture by James Wiltshire](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/25b7dffd-acdc-47b1-ab4c-95fe90f6e2bb.jpg/r0_0_4344_2896_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mrs Cornish remains a volunteer manager of the Beechworth Salvation Army thrift shop and joined Yarrawonga's Turban Angels in 2015, a group that makes head coverings for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
"Coming from a family of 12, you go without and you know what it's like for other people to go without, so you don't want to see others go through that," she said.
She founded Beechworth Boomerang Bags in 2017 and currently runs a dress hire store at Chiltern offering wedding, debutante ball and formal dresses at a discounted price.
"It has wedding dresses and deb dresses for $50 and formal $25, so that everybody can attend their deb or have a great wedding," she said.
Mrs Cornish said a highlight was participating in the Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay in 2018 as it made its way through Wangaratta.
![Ross Edwards, pictured at the Henty Machinery Field Days, has been honoured with an OAM for his service to the community of Lockhart. Picture by Bernard Humphreys Ross Edwards, pictured at the Henty Machinery Field Days, has been honoured with an OAM for his service to the community of Lockhart. Picture by Bernard Humphreys](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/baead4ad-73d2-4036-841e-94b86b8cb3b1.jpg/r0_0_4504_2532_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ross Edwards OAM
An honour to share with family and the community.
That's how Ross Edwards views receiving an OAM for his service to the community of Lockhart.
The former deputy mayor of Lockhart Shire Council said the honour was humbling and unexpected.
"I'd just like to acknowledge everybody that's helped me along the way. In particular, my wife and son, Philip. A big thank you to everybody," he said.
"It's a joint effort by everybody that I've been involved with.
"I'm the lucky one to get the OAM, but there's certainly a lot (of people) as deserving as what I am."
Living his whole life in Yerong Creek, Mr Edwards served as a Lockhart councillor for 12 years from 1987 to 1999, four of those as deputy mayor from 1995 to 1999.
"A great lot of people to work with over there at Lockhart," he said.
"I think during my time we achieved quite a bit and one thing we tried to do, was if we do something, to do it properly the first time."
In 2012, Mr Edwards went on to be recognised as Citizen of the Year for Lockhart Shire Council.
![Former Henty Machinery Field Days chairman Ross Edwards and current chairman Nigel Scheetz. File picture Former Henty Machinery Field Days chairman Ross Edwards and current chairman Nigel Scheetz. File picture](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/64bf04dc-6f5c-4250-a972-61b9c79911c3.jpg/r0_0_4928_3280_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A community man, he has worked in volunteer roles for more than 50 years, beginning with the Yerong Creek Fire Brigade as an equipment officer, before becoming president in the early 1980s.
"I'm very proud of our little community, it's only a town of 150 people," Mr Edwards said.
Mr Edwards also served as president of Yerong Bowling Club, Yerong Creek Parks and Gardens, and Yerong Creek Parents and Citizens Association.
However it was his time with Henty Machinery Field Days he was really quite proud of.
"I started there in 1963. It was a fairly long apprenticeship parking cars. (I) eventually became a board member in 1978 and chairman in 2007," he said.
"A wonderful group of people to work with there. We've had some really, really top people make sure that the future of the field days is assured.
"One thing that I'm very proud of is the amount of young people, young fellows and ladies, that are involved with the organisation now. It is absolutely fantastic that they are there."
At 75 years of age, Mr Edwards is now semi-retired, but still lends a hand on the farm when he's needed.
![Carmyl Winkler's service to the communities of Tallangatta and Benalla has seen her awarded an OAM as part of the 2024 King's Birthday honours. Picture supplied Carmyl Winkler's service to the communities of Tallangatta and Benalla has seen her awarded an OAM as part of the 2024 King's Birthday honours. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/4306cc04-2290-449b-a1bd-f98ee1cc802c.JPG/r0_0_1432_958_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Carmyl Winkler OAM
"When you live in a small town, you either do nothing, or you initiate something if what you want to do isn't there."
That has long been Carmyl Winkler's motto, and she's certainly stuck to it.
The Benalla resident, who unexpectedly spent 46 years at Tallangatta, has been recognised for her service to both towns with an OAM in the 2024 King's Birthday honours.
Mrs Winkler moved to Tallangatta in 1975 when her husband landed a job at the town's high school.
She quickly realised music opportunities were limited and wanted to do something about it.
"Our fourth child started school when we went to Tallangatta and there was no music anywhere at the primary school, so another friend who recently moved there and I started a music group for kids and it went for 14 years," she said.
Mrs Winkler admitted her qualifications "weren't very useful in Tallangatta, except for teaching" but she decided to apply for a job as a youth worker anyway and was successful.
"One of the things that we concentrated on was helping people get their licenses because to go into Wodonga and start driving with a driving instructor was pretty scary," she said.
When you live in a small town, you either do nothing, or you initiate something if what you want to do isn't there.
- Carmyl Winkler OAM
"We did a few theoretical things such as talks about cars and road rules and the people who put their hands up were mostly women, perhaps their husband had died or got too old to drive or they had been too scared to try when they were younger. Certainly there was some young people as well, but it was interesting to see how those people reacted to it."
Having spent some time living in Indonesia, Mrs Winkler and her husband, after his retirement from the high school, were approached to teach Indonesian in the town, a role that would continue for 25 years.
During that time she also helped start a multicultural food program, which ran monthly for two-and-a-half years and featured different cuisines.
"We had cooking classes about France, Japan, Russia, Philippines, Bali, Malaysia, Germany, Sudan," she said.
"People said 'where are these people coming from?' But we said 'every one of them lives in Tallangatta' and they couldn't believe it."
Mrs Winkler has written five books, including one on Tallangatta's history titled Slates and Suet Pudding.
"All of these things we didn't push, we fell into them," she said.
Since moving to Benalla in 2021, Mrs Winkler has joined the Benalla Food Co-op as a volunteer, she assists at the Benalla Central Community Garden and has also been involved in Uniting Church projects.
![Albury resident Malcolm Skewis's outstanding service to Stolen Generations survivors has seen him awarded a Public Service Medal. Picture by Shutterstock Albury resident Malcolm Skewis's outstanding service to Stolen Generations survivors has seen him awarded a Public Service Medal. Picture by Shutterstock](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/466bc8d3-c1c4-4ada-bf37-c529036fab68.jpg/r0_0_5972_3981_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Malcolm Skewis PSM
Malcolm Skewis has been a mainstay of the Stolen Generations Reparations Unit since its inception in 2016 and a vital part of its success.
The Albury resident, who recently moved to the Border, has been awarded a Public Service Medal for outstanding service to Stolen Generations survivors in the 2024 King's Birthday honours for the role he has played in getting unsuccessful claims reassessed and recognised as eligible.
His contributions have extended the scheme to hundreds of survivors whose removals had previously been unfairly excluded.
"Mr Skewis is an exceptionally dedicated leader and highly respected mentor at Aboriginal Affairs NSW," his award citation read.
"Generations of First Nations families have benefited from his exceptional skills and outstanding work ethic, and his work reflects his kindness, humility and unwavering commitment to good social policy.
"His efforts to deliver justice and recognition to Stolen Generations survivors is an important step in shaping the landscape of reconciliation for First Nations communities."