By Kathryn RichmondWednesday 31 Aug 2016NewsReading Time: 2 minutes
The 2016 Queensland Father of the Year is:
Gary Prior
The Scripture Union, Queensland Father of the Year Award honours and celebrates the importance of fathers and father-figures throughout our state and its local communities.
The aim of the award is to recognise the significant role fathers play in their children’s well-being and development and to raise awareness of the value of fathers in the family and the community.
This year’s winner, Gary Prior is an artist, role model, father of seven children and foster father to four more and is passionate about educating his children about their culture, while also teaching them the virtues of humility, strength and purpose.
Motivated to help young indigenous people, Gary teaches culture in schools through art, building bridges and closing gaps between indigenous and non-indigenous people. He actively serves his community across a wide range of initiatives, including mentoring young men who have come out of Juvenile Detention to help them successfully transition back into society.
96five are a proud, supporting partner of the Queensland Father of the Year Award (and our own Robbie Parkin was the guest MC) and together are wholly supportive of Scripture Union’s aim, through the Father of the Year Awards, to identify and honour outstanding fathers for their exceptional commitment to raising their children or for their exemplary contribution to the development of children in the community.
Congratulations to all five finalists. You are all highly-deserving nominees and an inspiration to fathers across the state.
2016 Finalists
Sunshine Coast & Wide Bay – Robby Peters
Brisbane – John Mansfield
North & Central Queensland – Gary Prior
Southern Queensland – Tony Stubbings
South East Queensland – Bob Engwicht