By Laura Michell
Two Whittlesea residents have been recognised in this year’s Australia Day honours for their services to the community and education.
Mernda’s Rosanna Baini was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her work with Victoria’s Lebanese Community.
Whittlesea’s John Kinley Dewar was made an officer of the Order of Australia for his services to education.
Ms Baini said she was very excited about the honour.
“I am stoked … looking back, I think where did I fit it all in between having five children and being a widow,” she said.
“I am all about community, I am all about people and the support you can give to others.
“People call me and ask for help and I have never hesitated. I jump right in and help out. It’s all about empowering others.”
Ms Baini is the current vice president of the Australian Lebanon Chamber of Commerce and Industry and director of its Miss Lebanon Charity Pageant which raises money for the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal.
She served as a commissioner in the Victorian Multicultural Commission from 1997-2001 and has also been heavily involved in the Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Parish since moving to Melbourne from Sydney in 1984.
She said her work with the multicultural commission centred around teaching communities to take part in Australian life.
Ms Baini said some of her volunteering was put on hold for about 13 years while she cared for husband Clark, who had Alzheimer’s. He died about two years ago.
“It was very tough. Our youngest was only one when he started to show signs. It sort of made me realise I needed to put a lot of things on hold,” she said.
Mr Dewar, who is the Vice Chancellor and President of La Trobe University said he was “absolutely delighted” by the honour.
“As someone who was not born in Australia, I’m just incredibly excited to about being recognised by Australia in this way,” he said.
Mr Dewar was Provost at the University of Melbourne from 2009-2012 and was at Griffith University in Queensland for 14 years, where he was Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, from 2005-2009.
“I am just passionate about higher education and the good it does for providing opportunities for individuals,” he said.
