Meet the nominees for Citizen of the Year

GOLDEN Plain Shire will announce its community awards for 2020 at an event on 26 January.

Along with the Young Citizen and Community Impact Award featured last week, the ceremony will also announce the Citizen and Senior Citizen of the Year.

Ahead of the presentation, mayor Cr Helena Kirby congratulated all of the nearly 30 people and groups nominated for the awards.

“Council were very impressed by the achievements and commitment of the community members who were nominated for the individual awards and we also thank the local residents who nominated them,” she said. “We congratulate all the award nominees.

“The Community Awards are a great way to celebrate the people who make our Shire a wonderful place to live.”

 

Citizen of the Year

Sharon Boyd

Passionate about Lethbridge and what the community can offer, especially the young people of the district, Ms Boyd is the secretary of the Lethbridge Recreation Reserves Committee of Management and the Lethbridge Junior Football Club.

She has been pivotal in working with the Shire, as well as State and Federal governments to secure the upgrade of lighting and oval surface at the Rec Reserve.

The new lighting, announced in mid-2020, will provide participation opportunities children and adults in both structured and unstructured active recreation.

 

Cathy Bushell

Cathy Bushell of Ross Creek is a Ross Creek/Smythes Creek community coordinator, a member of the Ross Creek Recreation Reserve committee of management and a representative for the local Landcare group.

She is an active community member who is willing to initiate and take part in developing her community, including her selection as a ‘This Girl Can’ local champion.

 

Brad McKenzie

From Bannockburn, Mr McKenzie has worked closely with mental health charity Black Dog Institute over a number of years as both a fundraiser and Volunteer Community Presenter.

In 2014, he walked from Mildura to Bannockburn raising more than $13,000 and he has since travelled Australia as a volunteer, speaking to schools, community groups, sporting clubs and medical professionals about the Black Dog Institute, mental health, and his own personal story of living with depression and anxiety.

The institute selected Mr McKenzie as an ambassador for its recent One Foot Forward walking challenge campaign that raised more than $6 million in 2020.

He’s also undertaken fundraising walks at the Great Wall of China in 2019 and will complete the Larapinta Trail in 2021.

 

Lynette (Lyn) Galtry

Ms Galtry of Teesdale is the secretary of the Teesdale CFA.

A passionate advocate for fire safety, she credits the thousands of CFA volunteers for their dedicated community work.

Ms Galtry’s volunteer tasks, and those of the Teesdale CFA brigade include opening fire access tracks on hot days, trimming trees for better emergency access, running a sausage sizzle for CFA fundraising and feeding the troops at long prolonged fires.

 

Brendan Johnston

A Smythes Creek resident, Mr Johnson was nominated for his work and commitment to cleaning up litter along the roads and in community spaces around where he lives.

During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns, Mr Johnson began picking up rubbish on outside walks and one year, he collected more than 30 cubic metres of general rubbish, plastic bottles, glass and aluminium cans.

 

Belinda Koenig

Ms Koenig of the Scarsdale General Store was nominated for her support to Scarsdale residents who were isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An example of Belinda’s contribution was providing food and care for the dog of a neighbour who was hospitalised and then cleaning his home and delivering groceries when he returned.

This nomination reflects the positive stories of community support and neighbourly support in Golden Plains communities during COVID.

 

Adam Liversage

A committed community volunteer, Mr Liversage has for several years given his time and energy to help activate local sporting facilities and encourage residents to get out and active

He’s the current chair of the Haddon Recreation Centre committee, president of the recently established Woady Yaloak Warriors Junior Football Netball Club and is heavily involved in the Haddon Badminton Club and Smythesdale Tennis Club.

In the last 12 months, Mr Liversage has supported the Shire to deliver the Haddon Recreation Centre indoor court upgrade, a $220,000 State Government funded project.

He also volunteers his time, knowledge and experience to the development of Shire’s Active Sport and Recreation Strategy 2020-2030, participating in the Stakeholder Reference Group consultation process.

 

Hayley Quach

A resident Grenville, Ms Quach serves on the Grenville Hall Committee and in this role, has organised improvements and awareness of the space and its facilities.

She helped establish and run the Dereel/Enfield Scouts and continues to support their fundraising and regular activities.

Ms Quach is also part of the Buninyong Wholefoods Collective, sourcing and providing wholesale food at wholesale prices.

She has been an avid supporter of boomerang bags at the local Buninyong IGA, providing advertising, support and making of the bags and organised junior tennis teams in the Buninyong and District Tennis competitions for the past three years, and also organised the Buninyong Short Story Writing Competition to help students combat boredom at home during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.

 

Catherine Schurmann

Ms Schurmann of Maude is a committed volunteer and in her support of the Maude Recreation Reserve Committee, she has been integral in getting several important projects completed in the town.

From the Bunjil eagle to the new Maude water connection and many community grants, she has committed an extraordinary amount of time to bettering her community.

 

Kylie Turville

Vice-president of the Linton and District Progress Association, Ms Turville also organises the Linton Community Food Pantry, which during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic was integral to supporting vulnerable and isolated community members.

She’s also a dedicated volunteer, who always finds time to help her neighbours and fellow Linton residents.

 

Linda Wong

Through her registered charity, Hands of Change, and in partnership with the Geelong Community Foundation and Golden Plains Youth, Ms Wong of Meredith has developed a unique and innovative youth leadership program for young people aged 10 to 14 years in Golden Plains Shire.

The Equine Youth Leadership Program uses horses to teach young people valuable skills in self-awareness, teamwork, leadership and communication and the program has recently evolved into the Nurturing Young Minds for Their Future program which sees students from Meredith Primary School research, plan, implement and assist with the development of a community garden in Meredith.

 

Super seniors making a difference – Senior Citizen of the Year

Damian Baker

A volunteer at the public open space to the north of the Leigh River at Inverleigh, Damian Baker mowed and generally looked after the area for nearly 22 years.

He was involved in the plans to redevelop the space from the beginning, with the aim of open walking tracks and recreation places for locals and visitors.

A custodian of the space, Mr Baker has helped coordinate and worked at tree planting days to revegetate the land, looks after the plants, mows the area regularly so that people can enjoy the outdoors, and organises contracted workers to manage weeds and other hazards.

He also keeps an eye on furniture, the Federation Bridge and other structures and communicates regularly with the Shire if there is damage or maintenance required.

In addition, Mr Baker has also taken on mowing the local cemetery and helps with general maintenance and beautification of that facility.

 

June Amor

Ms Amor has nominated for her efforts and display of community spirit during the pandemic.

From the start of COVID-19 restrictions she took it upon herself to ensure the more elderly neighbours within her court were doing well and were supported.

She undertook tasks around their homes, including taking in bins, checking the mail, and watering the gardens.

Ms Amor also provided social connection through catching up from the veranda to ensure people were not socially isolated and remained connected.

Undertaking daily welfare checks to make sure everyone was doing well, noticing when a blind was still down mid-morning and checking to make sure everything was alright.

Through her selfless actions Ms Amor significantly contributed to a sense of community and togetherness during those isolating times.

 

Dorothy Heylar

Ms Helyar has been nominated for her participation and heartfelt contribution to an important intergenerational initiative that took place at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Golden Plains Shire Active Ageing & Inclusion and Community Partnerships teams worked with schools across the Shire for a pen pal project between the students and community members to provide intergenerational social connection during isolation.

Ms Helyar took part in the Pen Pal Project and responded to the students.

The genuine and insightful way she wrote displayed her community minded commitment and understanding of the importance of reaching out and finding common ground with fellow community residents regardless of age.

 

Val Robertson

Ms Robertson has been a volunteer in various organisations in Golden Plains Shire for many years.

She was treasurer of the Inverleigh Bowls Club from 1987 till 2014 – where she’s also a life member, treasurer of the Inverleigh Ladies Bowls Club from 1998 till 2013, and treasurer of Inverleigh Senior Citizens Club from 2007 to 2020.

She has also been treasurer at Inverleigh Presbyterian Church, as well as the organist for many years – a role she still holds.

A founding member of a local craft group, Ms Robertson has knitted countless blankets for charity, made trauma teddies and all sorts of other sewn items.

She also makes cakes and jams for local craft stalls, including the local CWA stalls, which she has been a member of for three years.

Ms Robertson is an encouraging leader in a local seniors weekly walking group and her contribution to community remains is vibrant and encouraging.

 

Rod Draper

For the last five years Mr Draper has been a volunteer with the Shire’s Active Ageing & Inclusion Services team.

He regularly commits his time and efforts to ensure the more vulnerable and isolated community members are supported to stay socially connected, aiding with various weekly services including transport to social support programs and outings, assisting with the delivered meals service and taking people to medical appointments.

Mr Draper recently undertook a one-day digital mentor training program, so he’s able to assist community members who are more digitally challenged to stay connected and participate in online social activities.

He also acts as a mentor and provides beneficial guidance to new and existing volunteers and is always ready to lend a hand or assist where required.