Hills Community Stalwart John Ebbott (OAM)
John Ebbott (OAM) from Tallawong has notched up over 40 years as a volunteer including 25 years co-ordinating the running of the Crestwood Community Fair at Baulkham Hills which was part of the annual Orange Blossom Festival.
He was a volunteer before he moved to the Hills in 1985 when IBM opened up its head office in West Pennant Hills.
The father of two boys became a scout leader in Baulkham Hills and joined the Hills Shire Orange Blossom Festival Committee. He also became the voice of Crestwood Fair as its MC.
While he was “surprised” to be nominated for an Order of Australia no one else in the community will be.
His community work runs to a very long list but includes decades as a Rural Fire Service volunteer (which still continues), 12 years community liaison with Careflight and 30 years volunteering with Crestwood Lions which he helped establish by asking members on the Crestwood Fair Committee to join the new service club. He co-founded the Baulkham Hills Leos club and was a member of APEX for many years.
John says he has lost count of the number of sausages he has barbecued over the decades but on Friday that’s what he will be doing with his wife Cathy at the Australia Day Celebrations at Bella Vista Farm where three local Lions Clubs will be running the barbecue.
The 73-year-old will have his wife and two grandsons to celebrate with along with fellow Lions members.
“I had a cancer operation in August and was in intensive care for a month,” he told the Hills to Hawkesbury Community News.
“It has slowed me down a bit but it hasn’t stopped me.”
“The thing I enjoy most is passing on knowledge and skills on, particularly to young people.”
