A foundation member of Port Stephens Third Age Learning (U3A) who has dedicated more than 25 years to the not-for-profit organisation has received a Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2023 Australia Day Honours List.
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Paul Whittemore from Shoal Bay has received the OAM for "service to the community of Port Stephens".
His achievements include helping to found the U3A, a space for retirees to pursue their interests, in 1995, and serving on its committee for 15 years, including as president and vice president.
It was Mr Whittemore who gave the first Port Stephens U3A lecture on Monday, September 4, 1995, on the subject of astronomy.
In the years since, he has continued to fascinate and delight Port Stephens U3A members with his passion for not astronomy, art, history and literature.
Now aged in his late 80s, he continues to give special one-off lectures on the latest in astronomy to U3A members.
Mr Whittemore served as the U3A's president 2004-2005, social secretary 2014-2018 and vice president 2006-2013.
Mr Whittemore is one of 506 people across the country who have been awarded an OAM in the Australia Day Honours List.
Australia's Governor-General, David Hurley, said the recipients are often "the first to show up and the last to leave" and are "quite simply, inspiring".
"They're almost always humble to a fault but I urge recipients... to put aside that humility - it's important they know how much they are valued," he said.
