JERRABOMBERRA resident Peter Bray has spent decades dedicating himself to a community organisation, getting it into ship shape and then moving onto the next one.
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With that plan of action, the 73-year-old has been able to help several volunteer and charity organisations including Hartley Lifecare, Meals on Wheels Queanbeyan and Queanbeyan Charity Book Fair.
On Tuesday, Mr Bray's positive contributions to the community were recognised with a NSW Premier's Award at the Monaro Service Awards Ceremony.
"It was a complete surprise and I feel quite honoured," he said of the accolade.
"Whatever you do around town, you can't do it on your own. You've got to do things as a group.
"Everything I've been involved with...you're part of a team. So in a way, if you get an award it's an award for a team because without them I'm nothing."
Mr Bray said he's been most helpful at a management level because without knowing how to navigate the paperwork for grants and funding it's hard for these organisations to stay afloat.
"If you can help the organisation get up on their feet and get going then that's important," he said.
"Then you can say 'they're ok', now I'll move onto somebody else that needs a hand. Then I go to another one."
Mr Bray is not only a hard-working volunteer but also sits on the Queanbeyan City Council as the deputy mayor. He was elected to council in September 2008.
As a member of the council, he has been chair of the Cultural Development Committee, the Public Arts Panel and The Queanbeyan Performing Arts Board.
Mr Bray said it was observing his father's contributions to society that instilled a sense of community spirit in him.
"My father was always helping at school annual days, fete days. He would organise a little stall and he was always into that stuff," Mr Bray said.
"He got on well in the community and then they'd ask him to join this or something else."
Mr Bray recently bid farewell to the Queanbeyan Charity Book Fair which ceased running late last year. The book fair was held periodically with all money raised going to local charities.
However, he's showed no signs of slowing down. He recently accepted the position as president of the Queanbeyan Children With Special Needs Group.
"Once [volunteering] gets into your blood, of course it's difficult to get it out of your blood," he said.
"Before you know it, it's a hobby. I could be doing other things but as a hobby, it's a very good one."
