PERSONAL satisfaction and getting “a kick” out of helping others is Jack le Cras’ motivation for giving countless hours to his community.
The Kingsley resident’s selfless contribution paid off today with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division, in the Australia Day 2012 Honours List, for service to the community of Perth.
Mr le Cras, who has spent 50-plus years “giving” through such groups as Lions, Probus, Joondalup Relay for Life, the Naval Association of Australia and the Bataan Veterans’ Association, said the news had left him “shocked, amazed and speechless”.
“A lot of us don’t seek these things but they come along,” he said.
“I can only get them if people support me – I just do the talking and the working.”
A former chief petty officer in the Australian Naval Reserve, Mr le Cras’ first taste of helping others was at the ABC in the 1950s where he was premises and property officer.
It was not long before he joined the staff association and social club and was instrumental in having a cool drink “ice bin” installed for staff.
“I suppose that’s where it started,” he said.
The community stalwart joined Lions in Melbourne in 1975, moving to Whitford Lions Club in 1984 when his ABC job brought him back to Perth. He has served as president several times and has been treasurer since 2006.
Mr le Cras is a past Lions District Governor, a life member of Lions International, led various Lions projects and won the Lions Progressive Melvin Jones Award in 2007 for service to the community.
He is Naval Association of Australia national vice-president, WA branch president and Perth North sub-section secretary. He is also president and a life member of the Bataan Veterans’ Association.
Mr le Cras is a long-time Wanneroo Probus Club member, a past president and national director of the Australian Kidney Foundation and an inaugural member of the Cancer Council’s Joondalup Relay for Life committee.
His busy schedule involves at least 12 meetings a month, four interstate trips a year plus an annual weekend commitment to Relay for Life at Arena Joondalup, where he has fostered a Lions involvement with catering and infrastructure.
“I walk out of my Lions meetings and say, ‘it’s good to be a Lion’; I get a lot of satisfaction out of that and always have,” said Mr le Cras, who paid credit to wife Kathleen for her support and encouragement.
“Life is about satisfaction at the end of the day.
“I’ve been retired for 26 years, so I have plenty of time to devote to my (voluntary) work.
“Life has been an adventure.”