Darcy's Aust Day dedication

LOCAL “humanitarian extraordinaire” Darcy Goodwin has been posthumously honoured with one of next year’s Australia Day Community Services Award named after him.

Darcy Goodwin will have the individual Community Service Award named after him next Australia Day.

LOCAL "humanitarian extraordinaire" Darcy Goodwin has been posthumously honoured with one of next year's Australia Day Community Services Award named after him.

Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell, whose office facilitates the Australia Day Awards in the Lismore area, proposed the idea after a flood of suggestions through Facebook about ways to recognise the tireless efforts of the renowned founder of Five Loaves, Lismore's mobile soup kitchen.

So next year the individual Community Service Award, which Darcy won in 1988, will be named after him.

"Darcy was a great man and a huge asset to our community, Cr Dowell said.

"He will be missed by many - the dedication of this individual award is one way we can honour him and his work.

"It's fitting that it's the same award that Darcy won.

"It's been on the cards since Darcy died, but we had to check with family members first."

The winner of the Darcy Goodwin Community Services Award will be announced at the Australia Day Service at Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Nominations for this, and all other awards, will be accepted up until December 20 at itsanhonour.gov.au/honours.

The Council has further honoured Darcy by hanging his portrait at the Lismore Library.

Local artist Harry Westera has loaned the portrait to hang on the first floor of the Lismore Library from this week.

"It's a fantastic portrait and really captures Darcy's kind heart and life's work," Cr Dowell said.

"I'm so glad that some of the 12,000 annual visitors to the library will get a chance to see it.

Cr Dowell said Mr Westera has lent the portrait for as long as it's needed.

"Darcy was also a supporter of the Human Library and kindly gave his time to be a 'living book'," Cr Dowell said.

"I hope people will visit the Human Library and take the opportunity to view Darcy's portrait upstairs while they are there."

This year's Human Library project will kick off at the library on September 7 at 11am.
 

Originally published as Darcy's Aust Day dedication