By Ben McEachenThursday 29 Aug 2024Hope MorningsParentingReading Time: 3 minutes
Plenty of fathers will joke about being “Dad of the Year!” just for doing something mundane, silly or standard.
Key Points:
- Rick’s commitment and care to his own children, as well as foster children, led to his recognition in 2022.
- “…I do want to be available, and I want to even make the sacrifice as a dad, to make my home a place… where children can feel safe.”
- Listen to full conversation in the player above.
All jokes aside, Rick Pekan was awarded Australian Community Father of the Year.
Annually, The Fathering Project declares a few dads to be a cut above with the Australian Fathering Awards
The latest winners can be found here, including Jimmy Barnes and son David Campbell being jointly names 2024 Australian Fathers of the Year.
Rick’s commitment and care to his own children, as well as foster children, led to his recognition in 2022.
“I’ve got four lovely biological kids but my wife Louise and I have cared for more than 80 or 90 kids through foster care in the past 18 years,” Rick told Hope Mornings.
“We have this beautiful wall of photos of pretty much every child that has come through our home.
I have cared for more than 80 or 90 kids through foster care in the past 18 years,” Rick told Hope Mornings.
“Some of them long-term, some of them very short term.”
At present, Rick and Louise have nine children at their place.
Ages range from babies through to a 17-year-old.
The great need for foster carers across Australia continues to inspire Rick and Louise.
Paying enormous tribute to Louise, Rick said “we have a really good family team”.
He also is happy to give credit to God and Jesus for showing him how to seek to love others.
He also is happy to give credit to God and Jesus for showing him how to seek to love others.
“Following on [from] the calling we hear from the Bible and Jesus abut caring for the orphan and widow, and as hard and challenging as it is, it just feels something that is a key part of who our family is.”
There is only humility and gratitude in how Rick received a national award for the way he fathers.
Previous Australian Father of the Year Awards Rick Pekan
If I can win, anyone can win
“If I can win this, anyone can because there is nothing overly special about me,” Rick said.
“There are times when I get frustrated by the whole thing.
“The noise, the chaos gets too much for me.
“But I do want to be available, and I want to even make the sacrifice as a dad, to make my home a place… where children can feel safe.”
Rick encouraged any fathers or father figures to consider what they can do to be Dad of the Year to the children in their lives.
“One of the most important things we can do as blokes is to be a dad or father figure to other people,” Rick said.
“20 years from now, your boss won’t remember that extra shift or work you put in – but your kids probably will.
“That doesn’t mean we can’t work… but my default is to, hopefully, leave a legacy beyond my job, interest or sporting club I follow.
“The actual, transformative legacy is through the time and effort we put into our young kids, older kids or kids in our extended family.”
Listen to the full interview with Rick Pekan in the player above.