By Dongyun Kwon
The Rotary Club of Healesville presented a special award to a local business on Thursday 28 March.
The Ron Goding Excellence Award has been presented to a business or organisation which demonstrates the highest business and ethical standards since 2000.
Healesville Rotary Club vocational service director Eckhard Wellner said the award perpetuates the memory of the late Rotarian Ron Goding, who was a charter member and a president of the Healesville Rotary Club.
“Ron provided outstanding services to the community,” he said.
“In his saw-milling business, he applied the highest ethical standards and led by example. This is why we use the name Ron Goding for this award.”
Healesville Rotary Club charter member and former president Terry Hill said Ron travelled for every Rotary club meeting from Marysville to Healesville, never missing a meeting for more than 20 years.
“He took part in every club activity and one of the many projects during his leadership was firewood for pensioners where he also demonstrated hands-on activities,” he said.
“He would be the first on the scene and the last one to leave. As our president, he was trusted, his humility came naturally, he was a gentleman and we admired his planning and executing of projects.
“He was a perfect example of work ethics. That’s why each recipient of this award can be very proud.”
This year, the award is given to Healesville Stock Feed and Farm Supplies.
The business was nominated for its excellent choice of products and customer focused service.
Healesville Stockfeed and Farming Supplies owner Jaimie Comer said she was very “emotional, overwhelmed and proud” when her name was called at the award presentation.
“I want to say that we probably wouldn’t have won this award without our awesome customers, our valued customers because they make our job very easy,” she said.
“The community here in Healesville is wonderful, they’re warm and welcoming.”
Mrs Comer and her husband Scott Comer took over the business from the previous owner in July 2021.
“We are a family-run business and we pride ourselves on our customer service,” Mrs Comer said.
“We sell all animal feeds ranging from cat, dog, chicken, horse, sheep, cattle, fish food and we also sell hay, firewood and barbecue gas bottles.”
The business owners are in the process of changing the name of the business to Healesville Animal Feed.
“A lot of people don’t know that we sell pet food like cat and dog, so every day we do get people coming in asking if we sell pet food,” Mrs Comer said.
“So if we change the name to Animal Feed, it would broaden [the range of products we are selling in our business].”
The business has a special owner other than Mr and Mrs Comer, Charlie who is a 65-year-old cockatoo.
“He lived out the front and after we took over the business, every night I went home, he screamed “Come back, don’t leave.” and as a massive animal lover, it broke my heart to leave him every night.
“It was Christmas time when we decided to take him home because I couldn’t leave him there for two weeks.
“He has a very big personality and the locals love him.”
Healesville Stockfeed and Farming Supplies has a drive-through for customers with a car as well as a delivery service which is free of charge only in Healesville.
