At the 2019 AGM held in Mornington, Ken Eaton #51189 was awarded Dearnley Medal #67. This was the submission made to the National Committee.
Branch President: 2010. 2011, 2012,
Tour Master: 2013, 2014.
President again: 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018
We, the Committee of the Joondalup Branch would like to recommend our President, Ken Eaton for a Stephen Dearnley Medal as he has been a vital member of our Branch for many years. Ken has been has been instrumental in forming the WA Breakfast club, which has been successful in its own right, with an average of 50 members attending each breakfast. Some breakfasts have been held in Mandurah some 60 to 100Kmh or more for most clubs, and recently one at Bunbury, which was a 400Kmh round trip for the Joondalup riders for example.
Ken has been a huge backer for the WA Odyssey Rallies held annually. He has been a huge supporter of the other branches in Perth area by assisting with advice and suggestions to present successfully run Rallies. Within the Joondalup Branch, he and his committee approached the Moora Council and generated magnificent support from the local community, producing which has been said the best ever Odyssey held in WA. The Joondalup Branch was also presented with an award from the Moora Council for running the best event in the Council area in 2015.
Within the Joondalup Branch, Ken has generated interest and organised what can be described as huge rides to many AGMs. Such as Alice Springs, where 25 bikes from Joondalup rode up the West Coast to Darwin and then Alice Springs. And home via the Rock and the Bite, a ride of some 10,000Kmh. Also, Tasmania, the Central Coast to name just a few.
It should be duly noted that at the Alice Springs AGM, the Joondalup Branch (under Ken’s reign) was announced as the highest fund raising branch for the UCARF in 2014-2015.
Ken’s determination to support the Ulysses Club as President was recently demonstrated when he flew back from overseas with no time to ride to one of the AGMs, so he flew on to the east coast, hired a bike and rode to the AGM.
His allegiance to his role as President of a branch, was further demonstrated when on a ride through the centre of WA he had a coming together with a Caravan, unfortunately breaking his wrist, and writing off his beloved Beemer. Fortunately his companion, Chloe was securely restrained in her travel kennel on the back seat, and was not injured. She was still happy to give Ken a loving lick, even after he almost killed her.
The recovery time almost crept up to the next AGM. The wrist recovered, but BMW were somewhat laxadasie in shipping out the new replacement. And the next AGM crept up before Ken had a comfortable ride for the next journey across the bite to Renmark. However, not to be deterred, even after his standby Suzuki produced a major engine issue preventing its participation in the journey, Ken produced from the further backups a two stroke Chook Chaser. Somehow, throughout the dark night hours, Ken manufactured some sort of pannier set up for minimum luggage, and attached Chloe’s travel kennel on the back seat. So Ken rode off to Renmark on this unbelievably uncomfortable thing that barely came under the description of a touring bike. A few mechanical issues were successfully overcome to arrive all in one piece.
Not to be beaten, on the way home to WA, Ken and Chloe took a detour up into the Central Australian no man’s land to concur some of the harshest lands of all. His editorial in the Joondalup Newspaper was riveting reading to say the least.
Ken has also founded a fund raising organisation known as “I Ride With Chloe”, which he devotes all his spare time when not running his business, or running the Joondalup Branch, to raise funds for Dementia. Which was sadly brought into his life by the passing of his beloved wife as a result of the disease. This little dog, Chloe, has been Ken’s companion dog for approximately 15 years. She rides with Ken at every opportunity, so much that she recently clocked up 190,000Klms on the back seat of several bikes.
As a committee member of the Joondalup Branch, Ken has also been instrumental in setting up and launching many Multi Media sites, creating Apps for Apple and Android phones linking to information sites for the Branch publicising the committee and events and all things Joondalup Branch. He also, sends out dozens of Text messages each week informing members of weekly events, rides and so on. A Branch Facebook page called West Oz, also runs in parallel to all other communications by Ken.
Ken has been, and continues to be a staunch supporter of the Ulysses Club and the Joondalup Branch, he has stepped in and taken on the Presidential role when others were reluctant to do so. However, his dedication has brought about many things mentioned above, which probably causes others not to step up, because nobody could possibly produce better results for the Club and Branch than Ken.
The National Committee congratulate Ken and thanks him for his service