Club stalwart’s City of Mount Gambier Senior Citizen of the Year award
Club stalwart’s City of Mount Gambier Senior Citizen of the Year award
As far as the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club (MGGRC) is concerned, Kevin “KD” Douglas is certainly a worthy recipient of the 2024 City of Mount Gambier Senior Citizen of the Year award.
After all, his MC work over a number of years – both complementary and complimentary – always added to the special days and nights conducted by the MGGRC. His ability to interact with all people was simply outstanding.
But it goes much further than that. A keen racegoer, when Covid restrictions were in place he found the only way he was going to be able to attend the local greyhound meetings at Tara Raceway was to complete the mandatory licence requirements and become a catcher.
Then he would be able to help out trainers requiring a catcher for their greyhounds. However, he was also looking for a worthwhile way of utilising his Thursday afternoons in Tara Raceway’s catching area surrounded by slobbery greyhounds all seeking one last look at the lure.
KD came up with format known as “Catch for Cash” whereby any trainer whose greyhound he caught could, if he or she so desired, place a gold coin in the charity jar. Soon he found many others were also willing to donate their nominal catching fees to the jar.
Later, together with regular participants, KD decided to expand the concept and make a charity-based competition out of it. A local charity would be chosen every couple of months and be promoted.
It was decided on a twice-weekly tipping competition, to be known as the Tara Tipsters – participants competing only for bragging rights but donating to KD’s charity jar.
From humble beginnings of a participant group of half a dozen or so, there are now more than 20 involved on a regular basis (some participating remotely). At the end of each series, a Tara Tipsters race is conducted with representatives from the local charity attending and receiving a donation.
Following KD’s “Catch for Cash” original concept of a gold coin donation, more than $20,000 has now been donated to local charities by the Tara Tipsters.
Incidentally, KD was recognised at the Greyhound Racing SA 2021 Greyhound of the Year awards in Adelaide with an Outstanding Service to Industry Award.
The City of Mount Gambier 2024 Citizen of the Year awardees will be formally acknowledged at the Australia Day Breakfast and Awards event at the Cave Garden on Friday, January 26, 2024.