Brendan Simpkins

GAWLER’S Citizen of the Year, Gavin Launer, was shocked when he received the phone call from Mayor Karen Redman informing him of the win.

However, Mr Launer played down the award, declaring that hundreds of people in Gawler deserved it just as much as him.

He said he was feeling “absolutely flabbergasted, embarrassed and pretty humbled” over winning the award.

“There is a lot of people who have lived in Gawler all their life, I am only a relative newcomer,” he said.

“When I look around and see so many people who have done so much in the community, come on why me?

“There are so many out there worthwhile and just do it not for glory, but feel as though they want to contribute.”

Born in the mid-north town of Eudunda, Mr Launer lived and worked at various places across the state before eventually settling in Gawler in the 1980s alongside wife, Cheryl.

Mr Launer is known for holding numerous volunteer positions around town, from being secretary of the Gawler Veteran, Vintage and Classic Vehicles Club to a traffic monitor at Immanuel Lutheran School.

He has held the position of secretary with the Classic Vehicles Club for 10 years and has spent 10 years volunteering with the Gawler Graffiti Removal team.

A devout member of the Lutheran faith, Mr Launer is involved with various facets of the parish, including being a member of the steering committee to amalgamate Gawler’s two churches of the denomination to become Gawler Lutheran Church.

Alongside wife Cheryl, Mr Launer also travels around Gawler’s nursing homes where the pair sing and play music to residents and conduct devotions.

Previously, Mr Launer worked in the aged care sector as manager of Gawler Aged Homes for 13 years.

“I still go and visit them, I have made good friendships over the years and I just see how they are going,” he said.

“Quite often a lot of them, they just sit there and they don’t see anyone from week-to-week, month-to-month.

“I go and say ‘g’day, how you going?’ and have a bit of a chat, I just like taking to people and they get a bit down in the mouth so I give them a bit of a different outlook on life and be positive, have a joke with them.”

Following his retirement, Mr Launer said he was inspired to take up volunteering positions to put his time to good use.

Despite ranking the award as one of his greatest achievements, he said he never set out to win accolades through his volunteering.

“You just do it, as hundreds of other people in Gawler do it,” he said.