SEVENTEEN hardworking citizens and six community events have been nominated for one of four awards in Cardinia Shire’s Australia Day Awards.
Cardinia mayor Kate Lempriere and the Cardinia Shire Australia Day Committee will acknowledge their contribution at the Australia Day celebrations this Friday at the Cardinia Cultural Centre.
A ceremony will highlight people who will take either the oath of allegiance or the affirmation, and receive their Citizenship Certificates from Cr Lempriere, who is also chair of the Australia Day Committee.
This Australia Day, Council has received 55 certificates from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs for Cardinia’s new Australian citizens.
Cr Lempriere will also announce the winners of Cardinia’s Australia Day Awards, naming the shire’s Citizen, Senior Citizen, Young Citizen and Community Event of the Year.
Each year, Cardinia’s Australia Day Committee calls on the people of Cardinia to nominate the citizens and events they feel have made outstanding contributions to enriching community life in Cardinia.
An independent volunteer selection panel from across the Shire considers the nominees.
Cr Lempriere said deciding on one citizen from an outstanding selection of nominees had been a challenge for the selection panel.
“The nominees are assessed on a broad range of criteria, including consistency and length of service, community caring and, most importantly, the concept of ‘service above self’,” she said.
“This year’s nominees represent an outstanding contribution to our community – from supporting others in the face of tragedy and trauma, such as the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires, to raising money for community facilities and working with community service groups such as Rotary, Lions and RSL branches.
“I am very appreciative and humbled for this opportunity to acknowledge the work of all the nominees, and indeed all the other unnamed members of our community who contribute in so many ways every day,” Cr Lempriere said.
“Without this ‘unseen army’ Cardinia could not be what it is – a wonderful, caring community.”
The nominees
Citizen of the Year: Fay Allan, Antonio Arrigo, Carmerlina Arrigo, Raymond Brown, Ronald Ingram, Harry James, Maxwell Kneebone, Barry Medwin, Dorothy Murphy and Eleanor Taylor.
Community Event of the Year: Cardinia Civic Concert Band “Spectacular Movie Melodies” concerts; Emerald Winterfest; Gembrook Open Gardenfest; Pakenham Debutante Balls; 2006 Small Farming Victoria Field Days; St Sofia Festival.
Senior Citizen of the Year: Lois Gardiner; Clement Jones; Roma Robbins; Robert Simonds; Ronald Topp.
Young Citizen of the Year: Courtney Baker; Rochelle Baker.
