Bart Vanderveen Award 2020 - Jan Thompson

[Jan Thompson]

Thanks for the messages. I join you Mike! I remember reading up on how prestigious this award is when I saw that you had been the 2019 award winner.

I was unaware that I had been nominated and really appreciate those people who made this happen. Some people may think it is a strange award for a female. I look back at my associations with military vehicle clubs and the organising I have done to make Corowa the largest gathering of military vehicles in the southern hemisphere.

I initially must thank my parents. Unfortunately my father passed away in November 2019 and he was the cause of this affiliation with military vehicles. My mother was so delighted to have heard from me about the award and she knows how much work I have put in over the years. I do have fond memories going back to the early 1970's of events I participated in while living in Victoria. When I was 18 I moved to Sydney and started a career working with children aged 0 to 5 years. I have held positions as an educator, Assistant Director and Director and while working fulltime I also have been on club committees and have held the position of Secretary and Public Relations Officer of the Corowa Swim-In and Military Vehicle Gathering since 2005.

When Troy and I decided to get married in 2016 we chose Corowa as I felt it was a good half way point from Sydney to Point Lonsdale and of course I wanted to have our military vehicle friends apart of our special day.

I know Keith Webb has some photos he has shared of my brother and I when he started his military vehicle journey and with this hobby I have met thousands of people. Troy and I now have a 1988 110 Landrover, a 1939 Swiss Pushbike and my father's WW2 folding pushbike.