Indian-origin volunteer Brijal Parikh has marked 10 years of service with the Pakenham Fire Brigade in Victoria, receiving a 10 Years of Service Award at the brigade’s annual dinner.
Parikh expressed gratitude to the brigade’s past and present members, reflecting on a decade of volunteering, teamwork, friendship and community service.
“Volunteering has never just been about responding to emergencies — it’s about the friendships, teamwork, learning and the community we’re part of.”
The annual dinner also recognised volunteers for their contributions and long-standing commitment to the brigade, with awards presented across several categories.
Aleks Feher received both the Len Marshall Award for Firefighter of the Year and the Rob Goulding Award.
Chloe Thorp received the Neil Poulton Award, David Edwards the Robert “Robbie” MacGregor Award, formerly known as the Captains Award, and Judith Edwards the Brendan Brown Award.
Special recognition included the VFBV Star for Michael Paige, while Kelly Ryan received the National Emergency Medal. Charlie Landsdown received the National Emergency Medal with third and fourth clasps.
The brigade also recognised members reaching significant service milestones.
Susan Mongelli and Nat Morgan marked five years, Parikh and Shymma Harris reached 10 years, Nathan Thorp marked 15 years, and Matt Ryan celebrated 25 years of service.
Jean Kelsey was recognised for an extraordinary 65 years of service, while Adrian Bailey, Michael Paige and David Edwards received life membership.
The celebrations also highlighted the remarkable contribution of siblings Charlie Landsdown and Jean Kelsey, whose combined service totals 135 years. Their commitment reflects the longstanding role volunteers have played in the brigade, which has a history spanning 98 years.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
