by Sahar Foladi
David Guthrie Willersdorf has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list for his extensive and significant service in the City of Greater Dandenong.
“I feel quite embarrassed,” says Mr Willersdorf, who has been named as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
“A lot of people are doing a lot of good things and I do it because I enjoy it.”
Now living in Southbank, he became involved within the municipality when he started working with Grenda Group of Companies in 1986, a bus service which thrived as Dandenong was the “logical gateway to Gippsland.”
Currently the director and company secretary, Mr Willersdorf didn’t limit himself to one job but got involved in the Dandenong community over time.
He quite literally played a role to help shape the municipality through Greater Dandenong Council’s Art Advisory Board, Drum Theatre Advisory Committee, Committee for Dandenong and a member at the Public Art Advisory Board.
“I have to be very thankful to the Grenda family too. They’ve been very supportive of my involvement in these activities outside my day-to-day job.
“That’s important because sometimes it does demand a little time away from your daily job.”
Through his myriad works as well as the countless memories and marks he has left behind, he remains humble with a sincere heart to continue changing people’s lives for the better.
He was the chairperson of Chisholm Institute of TAFE from 2008 to 2013, a board member as early as 2006, as well as a past chair of its Audit and Risk Committee and director of Online Tafe.
“The Chisholm Institute board was good because the operations were in the area where Grenda’s bus services was operating.
“I was getting to know of the areas where we were running the bus services and also learning more about the people who used the buses to attend Chisholm.
“It all started from there. It was very rewarding that one, challenging but very rewarding.”
He went on to become the Trustee of the Caroline Chisholm Education Foundation since 2009 and its chairperson since 2017. The program last year granted scholarships to 367 eligible students.
“It’s flown off from that because you can see there’s so many students that come from families that probably haven’t had much education themselves.
“Students are coming forward, wanting to do something but they can’t afford to do it.
“So that’s the beauty of the scholarships which will change their lives, their families’ lives because someone is earning money and prepared to do the education.”
“It’s very heart-warming to hear some of the receipients speak. It’s an absolute delight and made such a difference to their lives.”
Winning the Greater Dandenong Corporate Citizen of the Year 2016, he was recognised for his philanthropic support of local charities.
Since 2010 he’s been one of the organisers behind ‘Take a Swing for Charity Golf Day,’ which donates between $40,000 to $50,000 per year to not-for-profit organisations in Dandenong.
However, the biggest and “most exciting” challenge is his work at not-for-profit disability service provider Wallara.
“The most satisfying things have been with Wallara where we were able to expand.
“One of the biggest ones was when we acquired the Sages Cottage farm in Baxter which enabled us to provide extra activities for our clients (such as) looking after the animals and hospitality employment at their café.
“We also have a ‘Grass Busters’ activity where people go out to mow grass and maintain the garden.”
As part of their Open Employment program, Wallara help support clients get into the workforce focusing on the permanent pathway opportunities.
“It’s an absolute delight to see the satisfaction they get out of their work and to build that social connection with others. It’s very rewarding.
“I’d like to continue doing these works because I get so much satisfaction out of them. I’d like to keep it going for as long as they’ll have me.”
