![Lance Boswell said he was "humbled and proud" to receive an OAM for his service to the Albury and Howlong communities as part of the 2024 King's Birthday honours. Picture by James Wiltshire Lance Boswell said he was "humbled and proud" to receive an OAM for his service to the Albury and Howlong communities as part of the 2024 King's Birthday honours. Picture by James Wiltshire](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/8e50202f-a31f-4f26-9965-2e39a0910548.JPG/r0_0_6000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
On Monday, June 10, we pay tribute to southern Riverina residents who have been recognised for their dedication to serve their communities in a wide array of roles.
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The 2024 King's Birthday honours list includes:
Lance Boswell OAM
Wherever life has taken Lance Boswell, he's enjoyed it.
Mr Boswell admitted he was "humbled and proud" to be included on the 2024 King's Birthday honours list as an OAM recipient for his service to the communities of Albury and Howlong.
"It's a very humbling experience," he said.
"The friendships made across all the organisations I've been involved with has been fabulous."
Mr Boswell, a chartered accountant for more than 30 years and manager of The Albury Club for a decade, also has a vast array of volunteer experiences under his belt.
A star footballer at Howlong, Mr Boswell captained the club in 1959 where he also won the Azzi Medal as the Hume league's best and fairest player, before going on to coach there from 1960 to 1963 while serving on the committee.
Mr Boswell was a Howlong Country Golf Club committee member, now known as Howlong Golf Resort, for 42 years from 1964 to 2006, including lengthy stints as president and treasurer. He was awarded life membership in 1983 and was the inaugural Murray District Golf Association president, of which he is also a life member.
He was a representative cricketer and served on Howlong Cricket Club's committee, before becoming a treasurer of Forrest Hill Tennis Club, but his volunteer efforts extend beyond sport.
![Lance Boswell and his wife Pam at their Albury home. Picture by James Wiltshire Lance Boswell and his wife Pam at their Albury home. Picture by James Wiltshire](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/2067a0b2-8661-45b5-90bb-6acbad9e4eb5.JPG/r0_0_5599_3733_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Boswell has been a Rotary Club of Albury West member since 1985 in various board roles and chaired the Rotary District 9790 finance committee for two years.
He held down president and treasurer positions at Albury West Primary School, Albury Preschool and Albury West Preschool, and continues to volunteer with St David's Uniting Church through the church fair organising committee.
"It's been a real pleasure being involved for so many years, with so many people, but when you're recognised it's a very pleasant surprise. It is very much appreciated," Mr Boswell said.
"We've made a lot of friends with all the people we've come in contact with across all the organisations we've been involved with. We're still involved with quite few of them now.
"Meals on Wheels is something we've done for 30-odd years with Rotary. The fellowship at the meetings with all of the other members is really fantastic and everyone gets on very well together."
Mr Boswell and his wife Pam have hosted 10 international students through Rotary's exchange program and a further five through a similar Lions Club initiative.
He was delighted to see his beloved Collingwood clinch the 2023 AFL premiership and hopes another flag is not too far around the corner.
![Gwen Chisholm and her late husband Brian Chisholm OAM outside the Berrigan Sports Ground in 2018. Picture supplied Gwen Chisholm and her late husband Brian Chisholm OAM outside the Berrigan Sports Ground in 2018. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/b3ecefd1-e224-4221-93d6-1bd2d1b472d4.JPG/r0_0_2049_1537_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Gwen Chisholm OAM
You'd struggle to find a person in Berrigan who hasn't met Gwen Chisholm.
Her willingness to lend a hand around the town's football-netball and cricket clubs for more than 50 years has seen her recognised with an OAM as part of the King's Birthday honour's list.
Mrs Chisholm was in her teens when she joined the Berrigan Football Netball Club ladies auxiliary in 1964, where she would go on to be president, and became a member of the Berrigan Cricket Club the same year.
She took charge of the catering for both to ensure the town's sportspeople and supporters were always well fed.
Mrs Chisholm received life membership from both clubs in 1993, but continued on in her roles until 2018.
Her grandson Dylan Forge, who spoke on Mrs Chisholm's behalf, couldn't be more proud of his grandmother's achievements.
"Football was always very big within the family. Her dad, Jim Clements, played for Berrigan Football Club and her brother Bill went on to play for Richmond when he was in his 20s," he said.
"She was the president of the ladies committee for quite a while organising catering, which included things popping up like funerals or birthdays."
Mr Forge revealed Mrs Chisholm was also an outstanding ballroom dancer and was named the Murray Valley Football League's Belle of Belles in 1961.
"It was more than just dancing and being the best dressed, it was like a showgirl position where she became a representative for talking about the community," he said.
Her late husband Brian Chisholm received an OAM in 2023 for his many years of service to Berrigan. He played 12 games in the VFL for South Melbourne in 1960 and was also a representative cricketer, supported all the way by his beloved wife.
Mrs Chisholm was crowned Berrigan Football Netball Club's Club Person of the Year and received a volunteer recognition award from the AFL in 2018.
"I'm very happy Grandma has got the award (OAM). She's a stalwart for the community and the community loves her," Mr Forge said.
"Berrigan, being such a small town, and volunteering most of her life, just about every Saturday and Sunday, she knows everyone and everyone knows her."
![Boomerang Bags launch in Beechworth. Josie Cornish and Iris Mannik with Hotch Potch's Emma Lang. They delivered the first bags to her shop in 2017. Picture by Mark Jesser Boomerang Bags launch in Beechworth. Josie Cornish and Iris Mannik with Hotch Potch's Emma Lang. They delivered the first bags to her shop in 2017. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/6589b93e-2db2-4148-8274-808939d60315.jpg/r0_0_4923_3277_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Malcolm Skewis PSM
Malcolm Skewis has been a mainstay of the Stolen Generations Reparations Unit since its inception in 2016 and a vital part of its success.
The Albury resident, who recently moved to the Border, has been awarded a Public Service Medal for outstanding service to Stolen Generations survivors in the 2024 King's Birthday honours for the role he has played in getting unsuccessful claims reassessed and recognised as eligible.
His contributions have extended the scheme to hundreds of survivors whose removals had previously been unfairly excluded.
![Albury resident Malcolm Skewis's outstanding service to Stolen Generations survivors has seen him awarded a Public Service Medal. Picture by Shutterstock Albury resident Malcolm Skewis's outstanding service to Stolen Generations survivors has seen him awarded a Public Service Medal. Picture by Shutterstock](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/beau.greenway/466bc8d3-c1c4-4ada-bf37-c529036fab68.jpg/r0_0_5972_3981_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Mr Skewis is an exceptionally dedicated leader and highly respected mentor at Aboriginal Affairs NSW," his award citation read.
"Generations of First Nations families have benefited from his exceptional skills and outstanding work ethic, and his work reflects his kindness, humility and unwavering commitment to good social policy.
"His efforts to deliver justice and recognition to Stolen Generations survivors is an important step in shaping the landscape of reconciliation for First Nations communities."