RECEIVING an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) is a special honour. And to share the experience with your spouse of 45 years? That makes it even more rare.
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Local couple Neil ("Barney") and Allison Rumble have both received an OAM after years of giving to the Bathurst community.
Aside from Mr Rumble's involvement with the Eglinton Rural Fire Service, the couple have done everything together, with their contributions to the community headed by organising the Bathurst Community Christmas Lunch.
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The Christmas Lunch, which has been running for around 30 years, provides good food and good company to locals who have nowhere to go on Christmas Day.
"It was just two or three of us sitting around talking about stuff, as you do, and we came up with what do people do at Christmas if you don't have anywhere to go," Mr Rumble said.
"So I put it out there and that's where it started.
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"We had 20, 30, 40 people the first year and it grew to about 240 over the years."
The couple were also heavily involved with St Patrick's Sporting Club.
Both were committee members and Mr Rumble was president for quite some time.
He also started the St Pat's Patriots Baseball Club and was instrumental in building the grounds.
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The couple feel "honoured and stunned" to be receiving OAMs and wanted to thank their family and the community for the support over the past 30-odd years.
Mrs Rumble said if it wasn't for everyone rallying behind them, the Christmas Lunch would have never reached as many people as it has.
"So many people in Bathurst have helped us; so many businesses and people have donated. It's not just us," she said.
"Our kids have helped; even when they were little, they were helping wrap presents.
"It wouldn't have gone ahead without the community help. Bathurst is such a really good place like that."
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