Residents recognised in honours list

Peninsula residents Patrick Bright and Peter Lazar were recognised for their contribution and service to fellow citizens in this year's Australia Day Honours List.

Mr Bright and Mr Lazar joined 577 citizens nationally to receive an award in the Order of Australia.

Mr Bright of Blackwall was recognised for his service to veterans and their families through the Vietnam Veterans' Association of Australia (VVAA) and the Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Veterans Association of NSW (TPINSW).

Following confirmation of his award just after Christmas, Mr Bright said he was overwhelmed to have received such an honour.

"The award was totally unexpected... way out of left field," Mr Bright said.

"Unfortunately I had to keep my award under wraps until Australia Day, so my family got a big surprise when they found out on the day which was great.

"Of course, I could not have received such an honour without the help of a good team of people, including my family.

"It is with the help of others that you can achieve so much for people who are not receiving the entitlements they deserve."

As president of TPINSW, Mr Bright has spent the last 25 years fighting for the rights of returned Vietnam serviceman and their families who continue to receive no government assistance.

"Our mission at TPINSW is to ensure the general welfare of all members and their recognized carers," Mr Bright said.

Mr Bright has lived on the Central Coast for 17 years and "love[s] the Peninsula for its coastal outlook and friendly atmosphere".

Pearl Beach resident Mr Peter Lazar was recognized for his service to business in Australia and to the community through aged care, health, cultural and social welfare organisations.

"I am completely honoured to have been even considered for such an award," Mr Lazar said.

"It is nice to be recognised for your life achievements when so many people do as much and more and never get the recognition they might deserve.

Grateful for the support from friends and family, Mr Lazar considers himself "a very lucky man to be an Australian citizen".

"I arrived in Australia in 1939 from Austria just before the beginning of the Holocaust.

"Although it was difficult fitting into a community who considered you a Nazi because you happened to live in Europe during that time, I tried to overcome it.

"I ended up appreciating my place as an Australian citizen while racial tensions slowly faded."

Mr Lazar moved to the Peninsula area 20 years ago having fallen in love with Pearl Beach after a holiday there several years earlier.

"It was the special nature and special community that drew my family and I to this area of the coast," said Mr Lazar.

"I enjoy the peace and quiet of the village and appreciate how the community works together on small matters such as maintaining the dense tree cover.

"I think the seclusion and natural surroundings of Pearl Beach are what make it so unique.

As part of his ongoing work with oral health, Mr Lazar contributed to the future fluoridation of water in the Gosford Council area.

"After its success in Sydney and its contribution to improving dental health, I was extremely happy at the success we have had in bringing the Central Coast fluoridated water," Mr Lazar said.

"Oral health has become one of my greatest interests and being able to help out my local community is such an honour."

Clare Graham, 24 Jan 2007