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To Frank, volunteering is helping someone out whether that be in the parish or community at large! ‘It’s natural to help out.’
Frank Fennell was born on Feb. 20th 1925 and has lived in Trafalgar for 98 years and has been volunteering in St John’s Parish Trafalgar since he was a schoolboy. As a school boy Frank remembers being an altar boy (Latin Mass) and he would cut and stack wood on the back porch for the sisters of St Joseph.
He was a foundation member of the St. Vincent de Paul Conference in Trafalgar in August, 1969 and served in the Society until the mid1990’s. Frank received an Australia Day Award from the former Narracan Shire Council for his service.
With volunteering at his core, Frank has taken great care of St John’s Church and grounds, particularly since his retirement from the S.E.C 35 years ago.
He has worked in the garden, mowing the lawns and completing minor repair work and maintenance in the church and the Parish Centre. He would also mow the school oval on a ride-on mower on a regular basis. Frank was also known to use an extension pole and repaint the school goal posts each footy season. Cleaning the church, painting statues and setting up for Mass were among his services. Lighting the Easter Vigil fire and preparing the Ash Wednesday ashes were tasks he undertook with pride.
In earlier years Frank completed a lot of work at Trafalgar Cemetery cutting the grass maintaining the graves. He worked with others to set up the grounds around Andrew House Aged Care Campus.
He has dedicated his life of loyalty, service and perseverance to the Church and the community at large.
