“For Ricardo, supporting the community was intrinsic in his DNA, whether it was through his businesses which always seemed to find some way of paying back to the community or in areas such as the Rotary Club, Ricardo was only to happy to lend a hand. Whether it was flipping sausages at Bunnings to raise funds or lobbying politicians, he was always there doing his part to provide support.
As a Rotarian he was involved with multiple clubs and became President of Port Melbourne as well as a Director of the international arm of the organisation’s services. This involvement included a series of projects he felt passionately about, the Timor Leste School, Kindergarten and Hotel. Ricardo has had a 20 year plus commitment to the people of Timor Leste, including his association with the Balboa Five Trust.
“The story of the Balboa Five is well known however beyond this or maybe through this, Ricardo saw an opportunity to help the community left behind by years of war. He often spoke about Timor Leste with fondness and was successful in working with groups in New Zealand, Australia and around the world to fund and upgrade facilities to provide hope. The local fort was purchased as part of this work and the fort has been redeveloped into a small 4-star hotel, incorporating 8 luxury rooms, a restaurant and museum employing more than 20 people. More recently, the school and kindergarten have also been upgraded much to Ricardo’s’ determination, as can be seen here with some of the local children.
The full report - here