Mr Galea is a Shepparton local with a background in non-profit entrepreneurship.
He founded Eat Up Australia in Shepparton, a charity working with hundreds of schools to deliver sandwiches for children going hungry on a regular basis all across Australia.
“I've always had a massive love for the Shepparton community ... So the opportunity to work as a part of Lighthouse is so exciting,” he said.
“I've always been drawn towards contributing to the community and bringing people together to help make a difference.”
The connection between Lighthouse and Mr Galea goes back to 2013, when he read in an edition of The News that one in eight Shepparton children were going to school without lunch.
That didn’t sit right with Mr Galea, and he quickly enlisted the help of his mum and a couple of mates and started making sandwiches to drop off at the schools that the disadvantaged children attended.
Former Lighthouse executive officer Lisa McKenzie was instrumental in getting Eat Up off the ground.
She connected Mr Galea’s food relief with Shepparton FoodShare and community volunteers to distribute the sandwiches.
Now Eat Up is a fully-fledged charity and services 500 schools across Victoria, NSW and Queensland, and has delivered more than one million sandwiches to children in need.
“She’s (Lisa) been a massive support ... so it’s almost come full circle in terms of now getting the opportunity to be a part of (Lighthouse),’’ Mr Galea said.
“She leaves enormous shoes to fill ... and I’ll do my absolute best to fill them.’’
Community consultation is a huge part of what drives the direction of Lighthouse and Mr Galea said he would be guided by those Lighthouse aimed to support.
“Just listening directly to young people ... where they need help, and for us to do our absolute best together with the community to try and deliver that,” he said.
“I think they’re absolutely critical to finding what we hope will be solutions to some of the areas that they’re looking to focus on.”
Mr Galea has always admired the work of the Lighthouse Project from a distance and he was looking forward to returning to his home town with his young family and getting involved in the community.
“To be able to connect directly with community members broadly and get them volunteering, get them involved, making it fast, making it fun, showing how they can really contribute to bring about positive change,” he said.
“Hopefully, the community feels ownership of Lighthouse because I think they’re going to be really key to that change. And we want to make them feel a part of it.”
Lighthouse aimed to support young people in areas of their family, education and community groups and activities like sport, music and art.
“I’ve always felt that the power of the community to support young people is immense,” he said.
“Shepparton is such an amazing place with so many passionate people who call it home.
“The experience of Eat Up really showed that. We had so many volunteering events (in Shepparton) where the community made sandwiches that were delivered to hungry kids.
“And that was an example to me that people really love where they live, and they want to get hands-on to make a difference.”
Mr Galea has already received a positive reception from the community on the Lighthouse Facebook page.
“Lyndon is positive, passionate and inspirational ... what a wonderful fit for Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project. Welcome back to Shepparton,” community member Leiticia Harmer said on Facebook.
18°C