By Ashok Verma
STEEPED in history, this impressive Powlett Street house was owned by founding members of the State Emergency Services’ Kilmore unit, Sam and Kerry De Gabrielle.
But after Sam’s death and their two sons moving out after getting jobs elsewhere, Kerry has sold her much-loved house of more than 40 years, but she is not sad as it is for a cause close to her heart.
The house is set to be demolished and make way for the new $6 million headquarters of the Kilmore SES unit.
“It was becoming pretty difficult to manage looking after the house and it will now serve a great purpose for the community,” Kerry said.
As a retired person, Kerry never tires to volunteer her services for the SES and remains one of the most active members of the unit.
“She has turned out to more jobs than anyone else,” said Kilmore Unit Controller Steve Caddies.
Sam, Kerry and a small group of volunteers started the Kilmore unit in 1981.
“Since its start, the Kilmore unit has become one of the busiest in the state, and we are there to help the community in need,” Kerry said.
Meeting like-minded people, helping people in need and learning new rescue skills and training are the motivating factors for Kerry’s continuous volunteering work.
“We keep training, learn skills like chain-sawing, sandbagging, first-aid, and other search and rescue operations.
“It’s sort of variety (being an SES volunteer). It’s never the same thing twice … from everything to do with storms and accidents and checking on a leak for someone … every job is different … you never get bored.”
During all these years, Kerry remembers some “funny things” like digging out some little dogs that had fallen into rabbit or wombat holes, and very bad times like attending to several floods.
“We have had several years where the floods have been quite bad, the worst being when Darraweit Guim was severely flooded (in 2022). Several areas got completely flooded out … school (Darraweit Guim Primary School) was very badly hit.”
Kerry remains undaunted by her tough job as a volunteer and remains committed to continue serving the community.
