Robert (Bob) Nelson admitted he shed a few tears after learning he's been nominated in this year's King's Birthday honours.
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"It caught me by surprise," Mr Nelson said.
Six weeks on when Mr Nelson had had a chance to digest the news, and after receiving a confirmation letter he looked forward to sharing the "secret" with his four children last Monday, June 10 - possibly with a champagne breakfast.
"My emotions were a bit more in control," he said.
While not completely sure of who nominated him for the honour, Mr Nelson believed it was mates from his former Rotary club, Gosford North who got the ball rolling.
And, while it was a complete surprise for Mr Nelson, wife Cheryl had an inkling after being asked to supply information about his achievements.
![Seventy-four-year-old Bob Nelson has been recognised with an OAM. Picture Jeanene Duncan. Seventy-four-year-old Bob Nelson has been recognised with an OAM. Picture Jeanene Duncan.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/3rnwt4AzAvYzHH7HZKFKMv/f03634f1-aa1f-4993-95bb-7d23bff1d07e.jpg/r0_0_4032_3024_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Apparently this has been three years in the making," he said.
The 74-year-old from Failford received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division for service to the communities of the Mid North and Central coasts.
Born and raised in Taree - he was the first cohort of students to sit for the higher school certificate (HSC) at Taree High School - Mr Nelson grew up in a community minded family.
The family, who owned a hardware store for many generations, was involved in Rotary, Lions and Apex clubs.
"It was the norm back in those days," he said.
After completing his HSC, Mr Nelson took a post as a junior clerk with AMP and began his association with service clubs, starting with youth focused Rotaract and Apex clubs.
Now a life member of Apex Gosford, he also was one of the first Rotaract presidents in Australia.
Mr Nelson's job with AMP took the family (of four children) to towns across the state, including Newcastle, Sydney, Albury and Gosford.
"But, the good thing about clubs was I always had friends."
Apparently this has been three years in the making.
- Failford OAM recipient, Bob Nelson
A passion for assisting with overseas projects, his association with service clubs has taken him to some of the most isolated and poverty stricken communities on the globe - on many occasions accompanied by Cheryl.
The couple has visited and worked on the School of St Jude, Tanzania, project, a facility established by former Armidale woman Gemma Sisia in 2002.
We helped with the building and we lived in tents guarded by Maasi warriors, he said.
During a trip to New Guinea, Mr Nelson and his fellow volunteers helped build two room aid posts along the Kokoda Track, and over a three year period assisted with the construction of a new hospital in Kokoda.
He also has been to Nepal as member of an optical humanitarian project and became involved with the ShelterBox program taking containers of clothing, sporting equipment, medical supplies to Madagascar and helped plan a water filtration system.
Putting aside his many overseas deployments, closer to home, and after returning to the Manning Great Lakes he instigated the popular second hand book store which is held monthly out of the Taree showground.
"And, there has been a spin-off from that," he said.
"We have trained the town so well (to donate) we are able to send about 50,000 books overseas every year."
Many of those containers include palliative care and medical equipment.
His community achievements include:
Rotary Club of Taree North
- Secretary, since 2023.
- President, 2022-2023.
- President elect, 2021-2022.
- Member, since 2002.
- International director, 10 occasions.
- Volunteer, Rotary Youth Awareness Program, many years.
- Instigator, Secondhand Book Store, 2006.
Rotary Club of Gosford North
- Member, 1996-2002.
- President, 1999.
Rotary and APEX Other
- Member, Gosford APEX Club, 1975-1989 and Life Member.
- Former District Governor, Central Coast APEX District.
- Member, Rotaract, 1969-1972.