Steve Botond Funeral Campaign
Donation protected
Steve Botond sadly passed away on the 26th of April after suffering a suspected heart attack.
Our Steve was one in a million and was loved by all. He held many roles at our school, but the one he is most known for was being the Crossing Supervisor on Chapel Street. Steve loved our school and our community but mostly he loved the children. He was their protector out there on the street, as daily he stood strongly and with determination to keep them safe. This made him proud and the children loved him back.
Steve commenced crossing supervisor duties approximately 15 years ago when he patrolled the busy intersection of Fitzroy Street and Canterbury Road for almost a year. Thereafter he manned the Brighton Road crossing at the front of SKPS for only a couple of months before arriving at the busy Chapel Street crossing in 2006.
Steve was nominated for School Crossing Supervisor of the Year in 2012 and was touched when the entire SKPS staff formed a guard of honour at the presentation ceremony which was held at the St Kilda Town Hall.
SKPS became Steve’s second home. Steve started working on a voluntary basis and contributed so much. He loved the school life, especially the engagement with the children, who were attracted to him like magnets. In 2008 he was officially employed by the school as our groundskeeper and handyman.
Sitting thinking of Steve, one can’t help but smile. He was our champion in so many ways. Nothing was ever too much trouble. He was made from the good old stuff, where you simply got on with the job whether it be umpiring the Annual Kelly Woodford Cup, emptying the recycling bins weekly, turning sausages at our many sausage sizzles, moving furniture endlessly across the school, gardening for days on end, or shaving his head to support the World’s Greatest Shave (because the children asked!), the list just goes on and on. If you asked something of Steve, he did it.
Steve became a bit of a celebrity, his dance moves forming an integral part of the promotional video for the school's biennial fete. The children loved filming the videos with Steve and he would take on any role and dress up in any gear, because it was all for the good of his school.
Here is a news clip from The Age that beautifully captures Steve and what he means to St Kilda Primary School:
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/when-a-retiree-and-a-school-principal-met-it-changed-lives-young-and-old-20190827-p52l2a.html
Steve was a man with a huge heart, a wicked smile, brilliant sense of humour and always ready for a good old chat, although humble and gracious, and softly spoken, when acknowledging any compliments.
There are so many things to say about such a wonderful person and I know so many of you will have your own memories to treasure. We are all blessed to have shared Steve's life.
I know this news will be particularly hard for so many, especially our children who have developed the greatest rapport with Steve over the years. He has been a big part of so many little lives.
Steve is be a tremendous and irreplaceable loss to our beautiful community, a community that brought him so much happiness.
Our love and thoughts are with Steve’s wife Anna, his daughter Kristina, son-in-law Craig and grandson Jack.
Our SKPS family has lost a significant family member – our Steve.
This campaign is raising money to contribute to the funeral costs for Steve, to support his family at this very difficult time. All funds collected will go to Steve’s family.
Our Steve was one in a million and was loved by all. He held many roles at our school, but the one he is most known for was being the Crossing Supervisor on Chapel Street. Steve loved our school and our community but mostly he loved the children. He was their protector out there on the street, as daily he stood strongly and with determination to keep them safe. This made him proud and the children loved him back.
Steve commenced crossing supervisor duties approximately 15 years ago when he patrolled the busy intersection of Fitzroy Street and Canterbury Road for almost a year. Thereafter he manned the Brighton Road crossing at the front of SKPS for only a couple of months before arriving at the busy Chapel Street crossing in 2006.
Steve was nominated for School Crossing Supervisor of the Year in 2012 and was touched when the entire SKPS staff formed a guard of honour at the presentation ceremony which was held at the St Kilda Town Hall.
SKPS became Steve’s second home. Steve started working on a voluntary basis and contributed so much. He loved the school life, especially the engagement with the children, who were attracted to him like magnets. In 2008 he was officially employed by the school as our groundskeeper and handyman.
Sitting thinking of Steve, one can’t help but smile. He was our champion in so many ways. Nothing was ever too much trouble. He was made from the good old stuff, where you simply got on with the job whether it be umpiring the Annual Kelly Woodford Cup, emptying the recycling bins weekly, turning sausages at our many sausage sizzles, moving furniture endlessly across the school, gardening for days on end, or shaving his head to support the World’s Greatest Shave (because the children asked!), the list just goes on and on. If you asked something of Steve, he did it.
Steve became a bit of a celebrity, his dance moves forming an integral part of the promotional video for the school's biennial fete. The children loved filming the videos with Steve and he would take on any role and dress up in any gear, because it was all for the good of his school.
Here is a news clip from The Age that beautifully captures Steve and what he means to St Kilda Primary School:
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/when-a-retiree-and-a-school-principal-met-it-changed-lives-young-and-old-20190827-p52l2a.html
Steve was a man with a huge heart, a wicked smile, brilliant sense of humour and always ready for a good old chat, although humble and gracious, and softly spoken, when acknowledging any compliments.
There are so many things to say about such a wonderful person and I know so many of you will have your own memories to treasure. We are all blessed to have shared Steve's life.
I know this news will be particularly hard for so many, especially our children who have developed the greatest rapport with Steve over the years. He has been a big part of so many little lives.
Steve is be a tremendous and irreplaceable loss to our beautiful community, a community that brought him so much happiness.
Our love and thoughts are with Steve’s wife Anna, his daughter Kristina, son-in-law Craig and grandson Jack.
Our SKPS family has lost a significant family member – our Steve.
This campaign is raising money to contribute to the funeral costs for Steve, to support his family at this very difficult time. All funds collected will go to Steve’s family.
Organizer
St Kilda Primary School Council
Organizer
St Kilda, VIC