Raise your glass to Ron

TWO weeks ago I walked past Ron Mantel, who was involved in a conversation with a small group of people, whacked him on the shoulder and said I’ll catch up for a drink soon.
Normally we would have had a chat at such a function, but I was already late for another meeting.
I would see him from time to time and would discuss community issues and how his business was going, called at his fish shop a few times, and had a happy family function on his boat the Tidemaster.
I enjoyed seeing the Tidemaster develop and the enthusiasm he had for the proposed bay rides and social functions to come.
Because of Ron’s understanding of people and the layback service he provided we saw this venture grow to become highly successful.
People often told me of great trips on the ‘Tooradin boat’.
Once I was getting in my car after looking at the new, and still to be named, walkway built across Sawtell’s Inlet, when he came from the fish shop with a comment about leaving without calling to see a bloke — or in words something like that.
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford described the former mayor as a character larger than life, but I saw him as a man with a serious side who liked lots of fun.
He was always concerned about his community and at times a little too forthright about how things should be done.
I spent a week in Greece with Ron during a 1998 civic visit to Ioannina and was amazed at his ability to ‘work the locals’.
The mayor of the day and the chief executive officer were taking care of the official side of the visit while Ron and others were getting to know the locals up and down the main drag.
They have little wine bars where people gather and Ron became a centre of interest to people who wanted to know about Australia.
One Ioannina businessman said ‘that Aussie guy has done more for your deputation than all the others put together’.
That was because of his peopletopeople skills.
I have on my wall at home a prized photograph of myself at the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens that Ron had taken.
He said you are always taking pictures, let me take one of you, and it became special.
He was instrumental in starting the Tooradin Football Club annual reunions that have become an integral part of his community.
He resolved serious problems for me when I was building my house by using his skills and contacts.
Somehow it feels unfair that I can’t have that drink with Ron, but he has gone to a place where there are more people than anywhere else.
I hope there will be a few trees alongside a waterway and a table with a glass or two for him to enjoy.