The winner of this year’s ninth father of the year award can thank a heart-felt plea from a five-year old for the shake-up he needed to become a better man.
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Warrnambool father Daniel McKenna said daughter Amarli wrote him a letter in 2011 asking him to spend more time with her.
”She was in grade 2 at the time,” Mr McKenna said. “I’ve still got it beside my bed and I still remember what it says. It still makes me tear up.”
Mr McKenna said at the time he was self-absorbed and ignored his parental duties.
“The letter says ‘dad you’re breaking my heart and I’d love to spend more time with you’.”
The father-of-three said the letter had “spurred him on” to “change his ways”.
The father-daughter duo was crowned overall winner at the Brophy Family and Youth Services and Rotary Club of Warrnambool event on Wednesday morning.
Amarli McKenna also won the year 7 to 12 category.
The annual event recognises fathers and father figures of children and teens from Warrnambool City and Moyne Shire.
The aim of the event is to highlight the importance of good fathering and male role-modelling.
This year’s event attracted almost 1300 entries from 23 schools in the region.
I love my dad because he believes in me more than any other person in the world. He doesn't let anybody stand in the way of my dreams. Because he believes I can do it.
- Amarli McKenna
Woodford Primary School was awarded highest participating school.
Entires were broken down into three categories with each age group asked to write or illustrate their favourite “father moment”.
Brophy CEO Francis Broekman, who helped judge the event, said selectors tried to capture what “most depicted that favourite moment with dad” and “the true meaning of fatherhood”.
Grace Stephens from Mortlake P-12 and her father Greg were winners in the prep to grade 2 category.
Claudia Tutt from St Patrick’s in Koroit and her dad Tim won the grade 3 to 6 category.
Hawkesdale P-12 student Milly Esh and Lloyd were awarded winners in the father-figure category.
