By Romy Stephens
New Lilydale RSL president Paul Payne is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his late friend and former RSL president Don Parsons.
Mr Payne, who was formerly vice president, took over the top role at the RSL after the passing of Mr Parsons on 2 May.
The pair had led the RSL side-by-side over the past six years.
“Don and I started together in 2014 when the membership came to both of us and said we need someone to stand up,” Mr Payne said.
“We got together at his house over a bottle of wine…We made a decision who was going to stand for president and who was going to stand as vice president.
“We were supposed to change over every three to four years but that never happened. Don liked the idea of where he was and I didn’t have a problem.”
Mr Payne said the thought of taking over as president was daunting, at first.
“Don was a great bloke, as you could see. Council lowered its flags for him, that’s the first time since World War II that has happened,” he said.
“They used to do it when people came home from World War II and they were discharged or they passed away.
“It has been a long time, other than the ones directed from the Victorian Government. This was Council straight off and you just sit there and go wow. Then you go, how do I live up to that?”
Mr Payne served for 20 years in the Royal Australian Navy and during that time, served on ships including HMAS Anzac, HMAS Stuart, HMAS Swan and HMAS Canberra.
He finished as a CPO on Electronic Technical Weapons Systems.
He has also had a long association with the Coldstream Football Club, the Coldstream Cricket Club, the Eastern Football League and the Naval Association.
Mr Payne said his main focus as president of the Lilydale RSL would be continuing with the tasks that Mr Parsons had set out to achieve.
That included the recreation of the Digger statue on top of the Lilydale War Memorial, the celebration of the club’s 100th anniversary, the upgrading of club facilities and the continued efforts to embed the RSL into the local community.
Mr Payne admitted that despite having similar goals as Mr Parsons, his leadership style would be “slightly different.”
“If you’re trying to match up to someone else you’re going to fail so I’ll have to do it my way,” Mr Payne said.
“I’m middle of the road, I’ll push the limits but there is a time you have to go ‘right this is not doing us any good, we’re spending more time on this item then we need to’.
“Having been on a board for 18 years at local football I understand where gives and takes have sometimes got to happen.”
Ultimately, Mr Payne said his number one goal would be to uphold the legacy of his late friend.
“I’m not trying to outdo Don but if I can get to the same standards he had, I’d be happy.”
