DECADES spent promoting the benefits of exercise and volunteering throughout the community have seen a local man earn an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) earlier this year.
Kingston-On-Murray man Don Juers was this year named as an OAM recipient for his services to powerlifting and as a volunteer throughout the Riverland community.
Mr Juers said a desire to rehabilitate back pain – caused from his previous work – initially led him to become involved in powerlifting.
“I worked in the building trade and when I was 40 I had a crook back and I wanted to do something about it because I hadn’t been doing much exercise,” he said.
“I went over to a gymnasium (in Adelaide) owned by Tony Zappia… I asked if he could help me exercise to help a bad back and he did.
“He trained me for about 12 months then asked if I would be interested in getting into powerlifting.
“He put me into some competitions and I did alright, then it just continued from there.”
Mr Juers said since moving to the Riverland – and becoming president of the South Australian Powerlifting Association – he has trained many locals to also reach world champion status.
“I moved up here about 20 years ago… of course the first place I came to was the gym,” he said.
“(People) asked what kind of training I was doing and it started to grow. I finished up (teaching) a group of about 16 or 17 women.
“We had many years where we travelled interstate and competed with other states… we had a lot of very successful years and out of that we got two world champions who went to England and competed.”
Mr Juers’ volunteer work has also included time at the Cobdogla Club, 37 appearances as Santa Claus at Riverland Christmas pageants and events, appearances as the Easter bunny and work with disabled powerlifters.
Mr Juers said health benefits of his long-term powerlifting helped him overcome a battle with lung cancer.
“Three years ago I was unfortunate to get lung cancer... I had a routine chest x-ray and it showed I had a tumour on the top of my lung,” he said.
“The surgeon said he could take the top off my lung and I would lose about 25 per cent of my breathing.
“They don’t like working on people over 80, but in my case he said I was fit and he would do whatever it takes.
“I’ve just had a scan since it’s coming up on three years and it’s all gone… that was again the fitness I had built up over all those years.”
Mr Juers said receiving the OAM highlighted the important roles volunteers play in regional towns.
“I was very honoured and very humbled because a lot of good people have been behind me all the way,” he said.
“I’ll keep going as long as I can. Naturally, as you age your body gets a bit of wear and tear.
“I’ve been very fortunate with my health to reach the age I am and be as fit as I am… it’s been a wide experience for me and very enjoyable.”