Disability fails to slow Darren

LIVING with visual impairment is no barrier for Darren Bone when it comes to getting many jobs done.

The icon of Leongatha was last Wednesday presented with South Gippsland Shire Council’s Achievement Award for a Person with a Disability.

Mr Bone was unable to attend this year’s South Gippsland Australia Day awards so council acknowledged his contribution to the community at the council meeting.

“This is an absolute honour to receive this award,” he said.

Mr Bone is a longstanding member and current chair of council’s Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee, where he represents people with disability in various consultations, including the Long Street redevelopment, Reimagining Bair Street, council’s Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing plan review and previous Australia Day nominations.

“He has also been involved in a number of volunteer roles including the Leongatha Football Club and education programs related to disability with students from Monash University’s School of Rural Health,” Cr Argento said.

Mr Bone was nominated for the award by Mandy Truscio, his employer at Serafinos Pizza in Leongatha, because of his volunteer work and his approach to being open and honest about his disability and life.

Mr Bone thanked Mandy and Fred Truscio for their support.

“Mandy and Fred have been incredible employers. To their credit, they gave me a chance,” he said.

Cr Argento said he had known Mr Bone since he was 15 when the youngsters would talk to each other over CB radios.

Dedicated to community: Darren Bone received South Gippsland Shire Council’s Achievement Award for a Person with a Disability from mayor Cr Ray Argento last Wednesday.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Feb 28 2017. Filed under Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry