Five Whittlesea residents and one from Hume have been chosen as baton bearers for next year’s Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay.
Craigieburn’s Kevin O’Callaghan, Doreen’s Darren Peters, Mill Park’s Sal Sansonetti and South Morang’s Warren Hollway have been chosen to carry the baton in the Footscray leg of the relay on February 10.
Bundoora’s Jian Lay and Sarah Nicholson will carry the baton in St Kilda later the same day.
Mr O’Callaghan, who is president of the Craigieburn War Memorial and Remembrance Committee, said he was surprised to find out he had been selected.
Mr O’Callaghan was nominated by former Hume councillor Casey Nunn.
“I’ve read about it and know people who have carried the baton for the Olympics and Commonwealth Games,” he said. “You think it would be nice to do , but I never thought it was something I would do. I didn’t even know I was nominated.”
Mr O’Callaghan hopes his selection will highlight the work of the war memorial committee, which lobbied for a permanent war monument in the suburb.
Until this year, Anzac and Remembrance Day services have been held at the Craigieburn SES, which has also served as temporary custodian of the town’s memorial stone since 2008.
The committee is putting the finishing touches to the new memorial, including the construction of four granite columns around it featuring the badges of the army, navy, air force and merchant marine.
