Home Yass Valley news

Printer friendly version

Yass Valley Australia Day Awards

The Yass Valley 2008 Citizen of the Year Awards were announced at the Australia Day celebrations that were held in Coronation Park Yass.  

Junior Citizen of the Year was awarded to Aaron Rhind

Aaron, who will be 17 in February, has been swimming  competitively for nearly 10 years and now holds the Australian Age 100m Butterfly Record and 9 NSW State Age Records in Butterfly, Breaststroke and Medley events.

Community Service Award was awarded to Joy Blackman 

Joy is known to many people not only for her bright, vibrant, compassionate and generous nature but also for her valuable contribution to the community for many years. Since 1967 Joy has been involved in many community organisations.  Her activities include Sunday School Teacher, Young Anglicans and committee member for the Flower Show with St Clements, member of Rural Youth, Rotaract, Rostrum, View Club and Board Member of YECCA.   

Joy has been a Meals on Wheels volunteer since 1994 and was a valuable member of the Yass Public P&C for 8 years.  Prese ntly Joy is the Canteen Treasurer at the Yass High School and is a supporter and fundraiser for the Yass High School band. Joy also audits the books for a number of local organisations on a voluntary basis and is a Justice of the Peace.   

Ross Webster has, since his arrival in Yass in 1978, been involved in many community committees including Yass Magpies, Yass Touch, Walker Park Playing Fields and Yass Landcare.  His active enthusiasm for every project he becomes involved extends across all areas of that project, whether it be lobbying for funding, attending meetings or labouring at a working bee.  Ross has also served as a Councillor on the Yass Shire Council and is still actively involved with Council as a community member of the Water Committee. Recently retired, Ross continues to devote his time and energy to the community.

For more than 40 years Alf has been a prominent community worker and has over this time has been involved with many Yass organisations including the Memorial Hall Committee, Meals on Wheels, Rostrum Club, Tidy Towns Programs, Apex Club, Apex Homes, Rotary and  Australia’s Bi-centennial Celebrations Committee. Alfred was a founding Committee member of the Horton House Foundation Committee which was established in 1991.  The foundation raised over $1 million for the establishment of Horton House which commenced operation in September 1992. 

In 1994 Alf was one of four founding members of the Yass Committee for the Care of the Aged and he in 2006 he was involved in fundraising with the Yass Aged Care Trust to fund the Gwen Warmington co-location project. Alf is respected in the area for his honesty and professional integrity which led to him being entrusted by Sister Rae Burgess to execute her wishes to establish a centre to care for homeless women affected by domestic violence.  Nominations for Yass Valley Australia Day Awards for 2009 will open in November 2008. 

Contact details
Yass Valley Council
Tel: 02 6226 1477
Fax: 02 6226 2598
Council@yass.nsw.gov.au

© 2008 Yass Valley Council
This page: http://www.yass.nsw.gov.au/news/pages/6655.html