MEC NEWS   MARCH  2025

MILANG ENVIRONMENT CENTRE corner of Weeroona Drive & Jupiter Street Milang
PO Box 338 Milang SA 5256 Ph: 85370201 E: milangenvironmentalcentre@gmail.com
OPEN: 10 AM – 3 PM WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY

The Milang Environment Centre aka MEC has received sad news that their long-term head volunteer affectionately known as the “Boss Dinosaur” is considering “retirement” from MEC. The startling news sent shockwaves through the volunteer team who see Don Boyce as an inspirational mentor and leader. The Adelaide Hills Stirling-born Don Boyce is a well-known and highly respected member of the Milang community who has served in various volunteer roles for almost 30 years. Rather than interview the shy and quietly spoken Don himself, MCN decided instead to go inside MEC and asked Don’s volunteer colleagues for their reflective comments about what it is like working with Don Boyce the MEC “Boss Dinosaur”.
From the current team at MEC, volunteers Chris Lambert and Dave Barry have worked with Don Boyce the longest. Chris Lambert chuckled as he described a hard-fought, on-going battle with Don for the best car parking space at MEC.
“The only reason I won the long scuffle for the VIP Car Park space was because Don drives a tiny Fiesta, and I drive a BIG Hilux twin cab. It was a case of brawn winning over brain. Despite the mismatch of cars, Don was a formidable opponent. He is a determined bloke with a fondness for fresh cake.”

Dave Barry spends most of his volunteer time driving the MEC trucks or extracting valuable metals in the workshop. Dave thinks MEC will collapse into chaos without Don. “There is so much behind the scenes organising achieved by Don to make sure we volunteers have what we need. He is amazing.” Asked to explain the nickname ‘Don The Boss Dinosaur’, Dave explained that it had nothing to do with age and everything to do with the disproportionately large share of cakes that Don consumes. “None of us cares because there is always plenty of cake at MEC thanks to generous customers”.
Michael Blanshard or ‘Micky’ explained that since he joined the MEC team he has tried in vain to get Don interested in race horses. “I don’t think betting is part of Don’s vocabulary but I do know he is the most punctual man I have ever met. Right smack on 10 the gate opens and right on 12 noon Don is driving out of MEC in his car for ‘lunch’. Some strange sixth sense tells me that he is not going to the TAB.”

Volunteer Geoff Dungey described Don Boyce as a man of routine but nevertheless full of surprises. Don is responsible for developing systematic processes and procedures at MEC for accepting recyclable items, sorting, counting, crushing, tallying, storing and transporting. Geoff told MCN: “MEC is a well-organised, efficient and harmonious operation thanks to Don’s leadership.” MEC volunteers confirm that this aspect of Don remains strongly reflected in his preference for routine.
The MEC gate opens at precisely 10 am and recyclables processing is proficiently systematic. Volunteer Mathew Goodwin described Don as “a father figure who departs for lunch at exactly 12 noon but may quietly reappear suddenly to check if we are working or goofing off. He is a very supportive leader.”

MEC volunteer Peter Miller described Don Boyce as a true “ladies-man” who rushes to exclusively look after the women customers. “Boss Dinosaur is incredible; he perfected the Dusty Martin fend-off and beats all other volunteers to serve the ladies first. A recent survey revealed Don looks after just 8 % MEC male customers but a whopping 92 % ladies. What does that statistic tell us?! It may help explain why so many ladies bring cakes to MEC.”

The most recent volunteer to join MEC, Sharon Parker told MCN that she has found Don to be an ideal supervisor. “He is a lovely, quiet, no-fuss individual who lets us volunteers do what we have to do without interference or over-direction. He does not micro-manage. I don’t care what these other volunteers say about Don. I think he is OK; in fact, he is terrific. I don’t give any credibility whatsoever to that nonsense story circulating about the toes of his work boots being marked and worn from ‘kicking butt’,” said Sharon with a laugh.