THERE are many people in the Katherine region who do not hesitate to go the extra mile to make a difference to the lives of their friends, families and the community they live in.
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Those people are often quiet achievers who do not get the recognition they deserve. To celebrate quiet achievers in the region the Katherine Times - with the support of Nitmiluk Tours - proudly presents this week’s Community Hero.
WHEN things go wrong for people, it’s not uncommon to wish that a good Samaritan would materialise to help make things right, and Katherine just happens to have its very own Samaritan, in the form of RAAF Tindal Aircraftsman Rory Shingles.
Rory, who arrived in Katherine in January 2010, made media headlines at the start of the year after making a simple decision to “do the right thing.”
After finding a wallet while on a weekend trip to Darwin in February, Rory discovered that as well as photographs of someone’s young children, the wallet contained a considerable sum of money - $2000 in fact.
The 27-year-old had no hesitation in making sure the wallet got back to its rightful owner - relieved and shocked Lyn Haslop from NSW, who was on holiday in the Northern Territory at the time.
“I cannot tell you how relieved, surprised and grateful I was to find someone so honest,” Mrs Haslop said.
“When I asked him about why he handed in the purse his answer was ‘It was the honest thing to do. They looked like they had kids and a family and it is a lot of money to lose’, Rory’s squadron leader Tom Fitzsimmons said.
“ I believe that no other course of action other than handing in the lost purse with the $2000 ever enter his head,” SQNLDR Fitzsimmons said.
“He displays leadership qualities and dependability that are relied upon by his colleagues.”
And while this one deed might stand out the most, Rory has also made himself a name as community hero through his work as an auxiliary fire fighter with the Katherine Fire and Rescue
Service.
Currently deployed overseas, Rory is serving his country in the Middle East.
“His personality is best described as honest, humble and reserved, but confident,” SQNLDR Fitzsimmons said.
Every week the Community Hero celebrated in the Katherine Times receives at $50 Nitmiluk Gorge meal voucher.
NOMINATE a quiet achiever and receive a $15 Nitmiluk Gorge meal voucher if your nominee features as the next Community Hero.
Email the name and a brief description of your hero’s achievements (and a photo if you have one) to
editor.kathtimes@ruralpress.com or ring the Katherine Times on 8972 1111.
