For Joan Frecklington, Friday night’s induction to the Emile Serisier Roll of Honour was much more than an honour.
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The former owner-manager of O'Donnells Pharmacy in Dubbo said the award was also a personal milestone in her recovery from the stroke that forced her retirement about 12 months ago.
“It was one of the saddest days of my life,” Joan said of her stroke.
“I went out in the ambulance and I never got to say goodbye to any of my friends, any of my customers and I yearned for that for the last 12 months.
“I’ve never been back [to the shop]...I can’t look at it but I’m just starting to get over it and on Friday night, that was a big move for me to accept that award.”
The business has since been sold, and Joan said the sale and her recovery over the past 12 months would not have been possible without her “beautiful daughter” Lisa Pilon.
O’Donnells Pharmacy was opened in 1965 by the late Lynden O’Donnell.
The pharmacy, where Joan worked for 50 years, was well-known for its fine customer service, with some patrons known to visit just for a chat.
“We had the smallest pharmacy in Dubbo but...it was usually wall-to-wall customers,” Joan said as she accepted her award at the Dubbo Chamber of Commerce rhino awards evening.
“We all used to have a laugh and a joke. Some people would just come there just for the excitement of it all.
“They always left with a cold lollipop drink...it made their day.”
She also passed on some words of wisdom to rest of Dubbo’s business sector.
“The greatest thing in business is a free smile, get to know people’s names and customer service is number one,” she said.
As her acceptance speech was streamed online, warm wishes flowed in from friends and former colleagues and customers alike.
“Congratulations Joan!! It was an honour to work for you,” Pagan Hockley commented.
“Best business leader in Dubbo, always made every person who walked into the chemist very special,” Judy Armstrong added.
“A compassionate and humble lady congratulations Joan.”
Despite her outstanding years of service to the Dubbo community, Joan said her award was unexpected.
Instead, she was “shocked” and “humbled” by her induction onto the Emile Serisier Roll of Honour.
“I’d just like to thank each and every person...connected with my winning the award and I’d like to say farewell to all my beautiful customers and staff. Many thanks,” she said.
“I feel very humbled by it all. It was very, very nice.”