Yass honours citizens, community service
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AUSTRALIA DAY: Gundaroo Music Festival founder Scott Harding was named this year’s Yass Citizen of the Year at the Australia Day breakfast this morning.
This morning’s ceremony also boasted one of the largest groups of residents to take an oath of Australian citizenship.
For Scott Harding the Gundaroo Music Festival was an idea he had to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease NSW after the unfortunate diagnosis of his close friend and Gundaroo resident, Scott Windsor.
Fast forward three years and the local music festival is a major annual event which has attracted over 6,000 people, involved 300 volunteers and most importantly, raised over $80,000 for Motor Neurone Disease NSW.
Yass Citizen of the Year for 2016 Scott Harding, pictured with ambassador Janine Perrett. PHOTO: Katharyn Brine
“Yass Valley Council was very pleased with the number of high calibre nominations that were received from the community and Scott’s nomination for Citizen of the Year was a particular standout,” said Yass Valley Mayor, Rowena Abbey.
“It is quite astonishing what Scott and the local community of Gundaroo have achieved with this music festival and they are to be thoroughly and publicly commended for their efforts.
“Naming Scott as our 2016 Citizen of the Year is just one way we can acknowledge what he has achieved for our community.”
Yass local, Kim Turner has been named as Senior Citizen of the Year through his volunteer work with Yass Rotary, in particular the work Kim did to start the Yass Farmers’ Markets and the Rotary Billy Cart Derby.
Young Citizen of the Year was another strong category with the judging panel unable to decide between two of the nominations, naming both Brooke Garland and Sam Young as the 2016 recipients.
The tireless efforts of the volunteers and staff at the St Vincent de Paul Society store in Yass have been rewarded by being named Community Group of the Year.
The store has been open for almost 50 years providing a place of welcome and friendship to those who have entered its doors.
Rounding out the awards the judging panel acknowledged three individuals with Community Service Awards.
Karyn Callaughan for her work in the Aboriginal community, Barry O’Mara for the years he has dedicated to various sporting clubs and community groups and Ben Spencer for his commitment to the village of Binalong and through the work his not-for-profit swimming program has achieved in our local community.
Television journalist Janine Perrett was this year’s ambassador.
Ambassador Janine Perrett
She is the anchor of The Perrett Report on Sky News Business and anchor of The Friday Show. She is also a weekly panelist and substitute anchor on Paul Murray LIVE and other programs.
Janine began her journalism career at the Melbourne Bureau of The Australian newspaper in 1979. During her impressive career Janine has been The Australian’s London and New York Correspondent, before moving home to become Deputy Business Editor at the Sydney Morning Herald. Janine’s career moved into television in the early 90’s with the Nine Network and then Sky News and over the years she has also been a guest presenter on ABC Radio.
Citizen of the Year
Scott Harding
Mr Harding developed the festival following the unfortunate diagnosis of his close friend Scott Windsor with Motor Neurone Disease.
His perseverance, vision and dedication to the festival has become a major fundraising activity for Motor Neurone Disease NSW and during the past three years, the festival has attracted more than 6000 visitors, involved 300 volunteers and raised over $80,000 for the cause.
Mr Harding has also been instrumental in the development of Gundaroo through the Gundaroo cricket and soccer clubs, the Gundaroo Park Trust and Gundaroo Primary School Council and P&C.
Mr Harding moved to Gundaroo with his wife Sally and their two sons ten years ago.
Others who were honoured during this morning’s ceremony include:
Individual Community Service Award
Karyn Callaughan
Karyn is an integral member of the Ngunnawal Aboriginal Community in Yass, providing support for the Koori Play Group, the Nugunnawal Aboriginal Community, as well as mentoring local high school students and young mothers.
Karyn has undertaken studies in suicide prevention, women’s health and community service so that she can provide additional support to the localAboriginal community.
She was the driving force behind the establishment of a group called “Circle of Friends” which supports families of domestic violence or dispossession.
She regularly travels to Sydney, Goulburn and surrounding areas to collect food, clothes and furniture for families assisted by Circle of Friends.
Karyn Callaughan with Janine Perrett and Mayor Rowena Abbey. PHOTO: Katharyn Brine
Individual Community Service Award
Barry O’Mara
Born and raised in Yass, Barry O’Mara is well known in the community as “the TV bloke”.
He has been an avid supporter of grass roots sport and community groups, including Yass Car Club, Bowning Bushfire Brigade, Yass Amateur Swimming Club, Yass Swim Squad, Yass Junior Cricket, Bookham Cricket Club, Yass and District Cricket Club, Yass Junior Touch, Yass Junior Rugby Union and Yass Rams,
Yass Sports Council, Berinba Primary School P&C and School Patron, and Yass Relay for Life Committee.
Barry has also been the voice for the community to petition the state and federal governments for better television reception for Yass Valley residents.
Barry O’Mara with ambassador Janine Perrett. PHOTO: Katharyn Brine
Individual Community Service Award
Ben Spencer
Born and raised in Binalong, Ben has contributed through his involvement with the Binalong Volunteer Rescue Association, Binalong Swimming Club, Binalong Brahmans and the Binalong Rural Fire Brigade.
Aged just 21, he started up his own not-for-profit organisation Spencer Swim Safe.
Spencer Swim Safe provides children with free swimming lessons so they can develop lifelong skills that could ultimately save their life.
The lessons have been provided to children of Binalong and surrounds, as well as disadvantaged children in the Philippines, Thailand and in a remote Aboriginal community in far North Queensland.
He was recently named president and captain/coach of the Binalong Brahmans for 2016.
Ben Spencer with ambassador Janine Perrett. PHOTO: Katharyn Brine
Community Group of the Year
St Vincent de Paul Society
Susan Hardy accepted the award on behalf of the staff and volunteers of the Yass store.
Built by volunteers in 1965-66 the Vinnies shop has provided Yass Valley with a venue to purchase good quality, low cost clothing or household goods.
The centre, throughout the years, has provided a place of welcome and friendship to those who have entered its doors.
A shopping outlet that has raised much needed funds in assisting those facing financial difficulties or other crises in their lives.
The day-to-day operations of the shop are run by 16 to 18 volunteers who give generously in their time of their time and skills in the many tasks associated with running the store.
The store and volunteers are supported by two part-time employees.
Susan Hardy accepted the award on behalf of St Vincent de Paul. PHOTO: Katharyn Brine
Young Citizens of the Year
Brooke Garland and Sam Young
Brooke is an impressive, self-motivated young woman with a highly developed sense of community loyalty and responsibility.
She has been an enthusiastic, articulate, capable, determined and personable student who always makes a willing and much-valued contribution to her school and the local community.
She was named Yass High School’s 2015 Sports Star of the Year. She has represented at a state and regional level in swimming, tennis, touch football, netball, basketball, soccer, athletics and cross country.
Her natural leadership strength are evidence by her role as 2014-15 President of Interact, as well as her voluntary fundraising for various school and community causes.
In 2013 she was selected as a Rotary Exchange Student, stepping out of her comfort zone and attending school in Sweden for 12 months at age 16.
Sam is diversely talented, personable and impressive young man who is academically gifted, highly motivated and a diligent student with an excellent academic and service record.
In 2014 he won the prestigious Victor Chang Award for recognition in science.
In 2015 he was Yass High School captain and also won the Don McColl Award for mathematics and science and gained outstanding results in the Australian Mathematics Competition.
Sam is a volunteer at Linton House and a regular charity collector for Red Cross, Salvation Army and Relay for Life.
Young Citizens of the Year Sam Young and Brooke Garland. PHOTO: Katharyn Brine
Senior Citizen of the Year
Kim Turner
Kim has been an active member of the Yass Valley community for over 40 years.
As a local landowner Kim has been an active member of the Rural Fire Service and the Rural Lands and Protection Board.
From 1987 until 1991 Kim was an elected councillor of Yass Shire Council.
A former President, Board Member and Secretary of Yass Rotary, Kim was the founding Chair of the Yass Rotary Farmers’ Markets and the driving force behind the annual Rotary Billy Cart Derby.
Kim has also been a member of the Parish Council of the Anglican Chirch, Captain of the Hume Lawn Tennis Club and Coach of the Yass Rams.
Kim Turner is Senior Citizen of the Year, pictured with Mayor Rowena Abbey and ambassador Janine Perrett. PHOTO: Katharyn Brine
Australian Citizenship
New citizens included David Cosgrove, Timothy Everett, Charlotte Fisher, Navpreet Minhas, Georgia Moustouhas, Johnson Munjanattukunnel, Peter Kochurani, Adona Johnson, Stephen Roberts, Wendy Roberts, Michael Tisshaw, Daniel Tisshaw, Susan Tisshaw, Darcey Tisshaw and Kate Tisshaw.
Stay tuned for more photos and videos to come.
Read all about Judith Williams OAM here.
Brian O’Connor AM story coming shortly.
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