A sign honouring local Jack Pool has been unveiled next to Stafford Meals on Wheels, with the site on Teevan Street now known as Jack Pool Place.
Jack, who passed away last year, dedicated more than 20 years to Meals on Wheels, beginning as a volunteer in 1998 and becoming president in 2002.
Operations manager Gayle Young, Jack’s daughter, said she worked alongside her father at Stafford Meals on Wheels for 18 years.
“It is a time in my life that I will always treasure as it brought Dad and I closer together,” Gayle said.
“Having Jack Pool Place, knowing how loved he was, not just by his family, but by the wider community, is an amazing honour, and my sisters and I are filled with such awe and love that this place has been given to remember the amazing man he was.
“I know in my heart that Dad would be very embarrassed, but also so completely honoured and humbled by this gesture.”
A Lifetime of Service: Remembering a Community Hero
Born the eldest of four children, Jack contracted a childhood autoimmune disease at the age of 10 and was unable to return to school. When his mother became ill, he took responsibility for running the household and caring for his sisters so his father could continue working.
He joined the Junior Red Cross and began working as an apprentice painter at 15, later building a career in the paint industry. Alongside his work, Jack volunteered with Queensland Lawn Tennis and Queensland Veterans Tennis Associations, coached junior hockey, assisted at St Clement’s Anglican Church, and supported numerous community groups.
In retirement, Jack expanded Meals on Wheels’ community reach, fostered partnerships with disability organisations, encouraged student involvement, and introduced initiatives including meal deliveries to new mothers. His service was formally recognised with several awards, including the Lord Mayor’s Citizen of the Year Award and a QMOW Living Legend Award.
“He has always loved meeting people, and he always had a smile to give, a story to share about his experiences in life and a warm hug for anyone who wanted one,” Gayle said.
Marchant Ward Councillor Danita Parry said when she first met Jack, his reputation as a community hero already preceded him.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten to know Jack and to call him a friend,” Cr Parry said.
“We loved Jack, and he truly loved this community.
“Now, Jack Pool Place will forever be connected to Stafford Meals on Wheels, a lasting reminder of Jack’s legacy and the example he set for all of us to be kind, generous and good to one another.”
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