St Marys Citizen of the Year, Ted Byers with the last of his goats. On top of his work with St MarysRotary and volunteering, he's also involved in the goat industry as a breeder & judge & once ran a commercial goat dairy on his Mt Vernon property.
St Marys Citizen of the Year, Ted Byers with the last of his goats. On top of his work with St MarysRotary and volunteering, he's also involved in the goat industry as a breeder & judge & once ran a commercial goat dairy on his Mt Vernon property.
YOU are likely to find Ted Byers in one of three places: around St Marys in his role as a Rotarian, at the Cana Community Farm in Orchard Hills or at home tending to his goats.
His dedication has made him St Marys Citizen of the Year. The Mount Vernon resident has been committed to area for 40 years.
St Marys Development Committee secretary Norma Thorburn said Mr Byers was the obvious choice in 2012, the Australian Year of the Farmer. She described him as a man who has fitted two lifetimes into one.
"I'm chuffed about the honour and humbled to be chosen," Mr Byers said.
Mr Byers, an electrician, has been a goat breeder since 1969 and ran a commercial dairy on his property until he retired five years ago.
He held many positions in the Dairy Goat Society and is still a judge at agricultural shows.
"They're lovely animals and respond to kindness," Mr Byers said.
He joined St Marys Rotary in the early 1970s and has been president three times.
Anyone who visits St Marys Shopping Village leading up to Christmas knows Mr Byers as the man selling tickets in Rotary's large Christmas stocking.
He volunteers five days a week as a caretaker at Cana Community Farm at Orchard Hills for marginalised people in the community who learn different skills in partnership with TAFE.
Mr Byers' long-term goal is to have goats at the farm.