Thursday, 1 August 2024

John Louis Blazé

Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:00): Given that there has been a condolence mentioned today, I would like to pay respects to my father, who passed away on 16 May, and give credit to him and to all those that helped him in his time starting up some of the first Sri Lankan organisations in the south-east that operated throughout the whole of Victoria, namely the Australia Ceylon Fellowship, which actually helped people migrate to Australia. They worked very hard getting a grant for 100 people, which they all paid back – except for one – in full.

My dad’s name was John Louis Blazé. He went on to also start up the Burgher Association, which also helped migrants, and then of course the voluntary outreach club, which continues to send money to Sri Lanka and provide meals for people who are destitute and in trouble. I really miss my father. He was a wonderful man. He never received an OAM or any awards for the things that he did, except through Rotary. Really, sometimes some of the best people that do the most work do not need the awards, because they know that what they are doing matters because it makes a difference in someone’s life.