Seems I can't stop people writing about me.
This is in the Apex Victoria News, due out this month.
WHO IS ANDREW FOLLOWS
Andrew is a very interesting follow to get to know, and in Apex land, I believe he is the guy that most clubs would like to have as a member.
If is was possible to put Andrew through a duplicating machine, and produce a number of Andrews the Association would be a much better profiled and have greater activities in community service.
That is a very bold statement to make and how do I back this up, well let me try to explain.
I first met Andrew in early 2000, and based on first impressions, I didn’t think much of him.
If you spoke to him, he never looked at you, as he walked around the room, he kept bumping into things, and knocking things over, this guy is his own demolition crew.
Later at that first meeting I found out that Andrew has Retinitis Pigmentosa. A degenerative ocular disease that renders him legally blind, Andrew has had this from an early age and in fact for three years of his primary school education he was educated at the Blind School in Burwood, before being integrated back into main stream schooling.
Having now known Andrew for almost 9 years, let me tell you, being legally blind does not affect Andrew, and he is a very effective member of our community.
Andrew joined the Apex Club of Coburg 1997, Andrew and Nicole Smith, and later transferred to the Apex Club of Diamond Creek when the Apex Club of Coburg closed.
Andrew doesn’t talk a lot about himself, or what he has done, so let me fill you in a little about him.
In his 10 years in Apex, Andrew has been:
• Club President on 3 occasions,
• Treasurer
• Dinner Notice Editor for 4 years
• District Governor
• Guide Dogs Victoria Open Day Coordinator for 5 years
• Apex MRAA Toy Run Coordinator for 4years
• Co-ordinator for clothing Appeal for Sri Lanka Tsunami in 2005
• Apex Victoria State Apexian of the year 2004 - 2005
• National Youth Officer 2003 – 2005
• Assisted with the reformation of the Whittlesea Apex Club
• Development of local community projects such as Eltham Children’s Playground
In addition to these activities Andrew was also involved with:
• Berry Street Foster Care – providing foster care to at risk teenagers
• Anglicare Northern – providing foster care to at risk teenagers and training potential carers
• Respite Care Interchange - Host / Big Brother / Support Worker and member Board of Management of Interchange at a local and State level, and Carer for a child with a disability over an 8 year period
Since leaving Apex in 2007, Andrew hasn’t sat back; he now has his guide dog Eamon to assist him,
He has been a member of the Choir of Hard Knocks, and it’s Steering Committee, and has now taken up photography and has had a number of exhibitions of his works, and is currently negotiating with Victoria University to run photography classes to other blind people.
He recently won the Anglicare Victoria Chairman’s Award for his efforts with the “Black Saturday Fires: and co-ordinated the Apex Santa Tours to Whittlesea and Dederang, on behalf of Apex Victoria and Apex Berowra Club of NSW.
Don’t say it can’t be done, because here is a guy that will prove you wrong.
Phil Keily Apex Victoria State Servis.
