VYVYAN Dance, of Redland Bay, has been awarded an OAM for volunteer services to police programs. Photo by Chris McCormack.
VYVYAN Dance, of Redland Bay, has a passion for helping police.
His dedication as a civilian volunteer in the Brown’s Plains Blue Light Association, Crestmead Police Citizens Youth Club and the Volunteers in Policing Program saw the plumbing supplies representative awarded this week with an Order of the Medal of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday 2012 Honours.
Vyvyan –Vyv to his mates – said he enjoyed serving the community, assisting police and helping to provide children with healthy and safe activities.
“I’ve been involved with the Blue Light Disco for 24 years, and have been president for 14 of those years,” he said.
“I like doing things for kids – we take them camping as well as hold discos, and we do fundraising for that as well.”
Formerly of Forestdale, Vyv is assigned to Browns Plains Police Station and said he assisted them with delegated tasks, such as taking hand-held speed cameras for calibration, that would otherwise take a police officer out of action for an hour or more.
Vyv also assists police at Grand Plaza Shopping Centre at Browns Plains by accompanying them and helping identify cars at risk of being broken into.
He said he began volunteering for police after being asked in 1989 by a friend, who was then a councillor on the Logan City Council, to help with the Blue Light Disco.
“That’s how it started,” he said.
“Then the Volunteers in Policing Program started and the officer in charge of Browns Plains police station asked me if I would like to volunteer for it.
“I put in about 42 hours each month, helping police.”
A father of four and grandfather of eight, Vyv said he was pleased to receive the award.
“I don’t do this work for recognition and there are others who are more deserving than me, but I feel very honoured by it,” he said.
“I receive great support from my family for the volunteer work I do and I’m very grateful to them.”