Doncare Board Director, Mr Ron Kitchingman OAM was honoured for his contribution and outstanding service to the community at a ceremony at Manningham Council last night. Manningham Mayor, Paula Piccinini presented the Key to the City to the Doncaster East resident in recognition of his distinguished history spanning close to 50 years.

Ron Kitchingman is truly one of life’s gentlemen – a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, an exceptional local resident and community leader who is passionate about supporting the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community. A retired printer, Ron has lived in Manningham for most of his life and at 83, continues his community and dedicated interests.

Ron has held many roles with Manningham organisations including positions on the Board of Management of the Manningham Recreation Association for 23 years, MannaCare for 34 years (current), Doncare for almost 10 years (current) and the Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation. Ron was instrumental in establishing the Beverley Hills Kindergarten and was Chairman for many years during the 1960s. He was also the President of Beverley Hills Primary School for many years, President of East Doncaster Secondary College for 8 years and a committee member for 15 years.

Ron is an active Justice of the Peace and is currently on the roster at the Document Signing Station at Doncaster Police Station. Ron was also an honorary Bail Justice for 15 years and averaged 5 callouts a week, which involved travelling to police stations in Heidelberg, Thornbury, Preston, Box Hill, Kew and Nunawading in the early hours of the morning.

Ron was a Councillor of the City of Doncaster and Templestowe for two terms in the 1970’s and Mayor in 1978-79. He served as a Manningham City Councillor from 2005-08 and as Mayor of Manningham in 2006. He is also the recipient of the 1998 Menzies Australia Day Award and was Manningham’s Citizen of the Year in 2004. In the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2013, Ron was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his dedicated work to the Manningham community.