Awarded Honorary Life membership in 1981.
Nomination
That Len Medaris be elected to Honorary Life Membership of the Canberra Bushwalking Club Inc. Few people actually meet Len though many speak to him over the phone. He is very much a behind-the-scenes man. Len is the Club’s contact officer and has been for a number of years now. He has always shown a great interest in the Club’s activities and movement of people, especially making sure those people have returned safely from trips. Quite a few leaders will have received an enquiring phone call around lunchtime on Monday after they have forgotten to ‘phone in’ and again it is Len who is at home checking up on things when an S and R is in operation. Every Friday he makes a trip to Paddy’s and collects the carbon copy of the trips’ lists and for statistical purposes records who did or did not go on the trip. I thought the Club could show some recognition for his willingness to support it by making him a life member. Moved: Ann Gibbs-Jordan Seconded: Russ Bauer. Sept 1981.
Obituary
In Memoriam, I read with sadness that CBC Honorary Life Member Len Medaris died on 7 December 1996. Few current members would remember Gary Medaris and fewer still Len, his father.
Len was however well known to leaders of his time. Soon after Gary joined the Club in 1970 as an enthusiastic (about) 19-year-old, he dragged Len on a walk and signed him up. Gary went on to become a highly active walker, Committee member for four years, mega-leader and mentor of many others (including AV). Len, possibly, never went on another walk, but maintained his membership and a close interest in the Club, hosting many IT Collations and Committee meetings. In the mid-70s he became the Check-in Officer, a role he carried out conscientiously for many years, even after Gary left home, got married, developed other interests, and eventually left the Club. When Len retired in the mid-80s he asked to be relieved of the position as he was moving to Victoria. He was unanimously elected an Honorary Life Member.
Very few people indeed contribute so much to an organisation in proportion to what they receive from it.
I offer heartfelt sympathy to Gary, Diane, Jan, and the rest of the Medaris family.
Alan Vidler. Published in It – January 1997.