Now Sid Kallas is receiving one of the highest honours in the country - the medal of the Order of Australia.

The former teacher said the accolade makes him proud to be Australian and even prouder to be from Cowra.

"I think you've got to give something back to the town you live in. I think Cowra is a great place," he said.

Born and bred here, Mr Kallas grew up in Watt Street before gaining a scholarship to go to teacher's college.

After two years studying, his first gig as a teacher was at Mendooran in 1964.

It was there he worked with award-winning Australian actor John Hargraves, who he met for the first time getting off the train from Dunedoo.

"We were at the train station [waiting for the new teacher] and we were hoping it was going to be a girl and John arrived in a blue suit, white shirt, red tie and with a battered old suitcase.

He said, 'where am I?' and I said you're in Mendooran, we thought you might have been a sheila!'. That quote is actually in his book," Mr Kallas said.

After Sid left Mendooran, he spent some time in Dunedoo, where he had another brush with fame.

"The Education Week Ball was on and the band was the Bee Gees. Barry Gibb was about 14 and the other two were eight or 10. Good music!" he laughed.

After a two-year stint teaching in Coonabarabran, Mr Kallas returned home, where he taught at Mulyan Public School from 1969 to 1997.

It was upon his return to Cowra that he got roped into selling some raffle tickets for the Magpies - a role he would continue for the next 44 years.

played one game of football when I was in primary school and I got tackled and I cried," he laughed.

"I got asked to run a raffle for the Magpies though and I thought to myself it seemed pretty harmless. Everything that's happened now is because of that."

He helped to found Cowra Junior Rugby League in 1971 and has been president, treasurer and more recently a life member of the clubs.

Mr Kallas has volunteered with the Cowra Chamber of Commerce, Cowra Festival of Lachlan Valley, Cowra Heart Support, Cowra Lions Club and at Bilyara Retirement Village.

He is a Justice of the Peace and has worked to further sport in Cowra and NSW as a president and a delegate of many organisations.

No honour however great will top having his name given to the Magpies' homeground though.

"That was a great honour. I was over at the football one day when we were playing Oberon and I was talking to one of the old Oberon footballers and his friend said to him, 'Who's this?'. He said, 'This is Sid Kallas' and his friend said 'This is the Sid Kallas Oval! I thought the bastard was dead!'," Mr Kallas laughed.

He said receiving the medal has inspired him to continue his work in the community - and he wants others to be inspired by it too.

"If it can happen to me, it can happen to anybody. It's a great honour," Mr Kallas said.

"Don't be afraid to have a go. Be proud of where you live. I'd like to tell kids to always remember this is where you came from, this is where you grew up. Even if you go away and live somewhere else for 20 or 30 years, always remember that Cowra is the place that you grew up."

Past Marketing Manager, Cowra Chamber of Commerce.

Past Parade Organiser, Cowra Festival of Lachlan Valley.

Past President, Cowra Heart Support.

Past President, Cowra Lions Club.

Reader for the Aged, Bilyara Retirement Village.

Justice of the Peace, since 1991.

Executive Teacher, Mulyan Primary School Cowra, 1990-1997 and Teacher, 1969 - 1990, 28 years consecutive service.

District Relief Teacher, based at Coonabarabran, 1966-1968.

Teacher, Mendooran Central School, 1964-1966.

President, Cowra Primary Schools Sports Association, 18 years.

Junior Vice-President, Group 10 Rugby League, Member, Judiciary Panel, 8 years, Delegate to Boundaries Board, Country Rugby League of New South Wales.

President, Cowra Senior Rugby League, 17 years, fundraiser 44 years.

Life Member, Cowra Rugby League; Local football oval renamed Sid Kallas Oval, 2006.

Recipient, Australian Sports Medal, 2000.