OPINION: Grant on Good Bloke list

Have you ever searched your name on the internet?

It’s called Googling yourself.

Or have you used the internet to find out about someone, just by putting their name into the search engine?

The other day, I thought I would search up a couple of my friends, and it is quite interesting what comes up.

One of them was fellow Geraldton Guardian columnist Grant Woodhams.

Now, Grant has been a mate of mine for a few years and I know a little of his background and what he does in the community, but after a recent search, I was reminded how lucky we are to have someone like him here in our community.

Earlier this year, Grant was made a Member of the Order of Australia AM, which is a pretty big deal.

And according to Wikipedia, there are only just over 3000 AMs in the country.

Wikipedia has a page dedicated to Grant too.

His reference begins; “Grant Allen Woodhams AM (born in August 1952) in Sydney, New South Wales ...”

Arriving in Albany as a youngster in 1967, he went on to graduate from university, then going to work for the ABC, after a stint with the commercials, before arriving in the Mid West in 1990.

For many of us, Grant was best known as the tall, thin weatherman, always wearing the bow tie.

From the moment he went to air in Geraldton alongside Paul Thompson, he blended in, and has been part of the Mid West tapestry ever since.

He is so amiable, his movement later into State politics was a perfect fit.

And the fact he became Speaker of the House is no surprise, more an indication of his universal respect.

Today he’s involved with Rotary, Chapman Valley Football Club, is on the board of the Geraldton Universities Centre, and demonstrates his love for community.

Always there to help out, Grant is always saying to me: “If you need any help with it Pete, just let me know.”

A sense of modesty and egalitarianism, things that resonate with me, is something Grant has in spades.

The man is as comfortable speaking with the Prime Minister or the Premier as he is with an old mate he sees at the footy.

As you may have gleaned from my writings, I am someone who looks for qualities in people that I think are worth emulating.

I have cited a number of people, some of whom I know and some of whom I don’t, who show admirable traits.

The traits these people possess are inevitably the same. They include trustworthiness, honesty, respectfulness, humility, and empathy.

Yeah, Grant Woodhams AM falls, well and truly, into my “Good Bloke” category.

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Read Grant Woodhams’s column: The world needs more characters like Al