Loddon’s top citizens honoured
Published on 27 January 2014
Loddon Shire has named two women as dual winners of its Citizen of the Year award for 2014.
Thelma Powell, of Boort, and Susan Horsley-Wyatt, of Newbridge, headed the list of 10 recipients honoured during formal ceremonies across the Shire yesterday (26 January) when the municipality’s latest Australia Day Awards were announced.
The award for Young Citizen of the Year was shared between Mitch Henderson, of Lake Marmal, and Lachlan Twigg, of Tandarra, while the Community Group/Event of the Year award went to Newbridge Country Womens Association (CWA).
Community service awards were also given out in all five wards.
The recipients were Alister McDougall (Boort), Sue Brown (Inglewood), Lorna Stewart (Tarnagulla), Vaughan Herrick (Terrick) and Darryl Arnott (Wedderburn).
Nine centres across the municipality – from Eddington and Newbridge in the south to Pyramid Hill and Boort up north – saw residents gather around barbecues, lunches and morning tea to salute our national day and hear from eight visiting Australia Day Ambassadors.
Thelma Powell was born in Boort and has lived in the town for most of her 97 years.
A committed volunteer since the age of 12, her involvements have included the Boort RSL Women’s Auxiliary, the Boort branch of Vision Australia, Boort’s football and golf clubs, church organist, choir member , Boort show steward and Boort Probus.
Sue Horsley-Wyatt has lived in Newbridge since the 1980s, giving her time to such groups as the local progress association, football/netball club, junior cricketers, the recreation reserve committee and the hotel social club.
Young Citizen of the Year joint winner Mitch Henderson has excelled at several sports, performed at Kool Skools, led the way in church and youth activities, acted as a pool lifeguard and tutored younger students.
Fellow recipient Lachlan Twigg participates in a number of local sports, helps at Dingee’s Biggest Morning Tea, has taken leadership roles at school and received a scholarship to the National Youth Science Forum in Canberra.
Newbridge CWA took the honours as Community Group of the Year for its members’ dedication to raising funds for such diverse and charitable causes as the McGrath Foundation, Inglewood Nursing Home, CareFlight, Travellers Aid, Alzheimers Australia and the Dunolly Hospital Auxiliary.
This small, but active, group also co-ordinates Australia Day and Anzac Day activities in the town and caters for local functions.
Loddon Shire Mayor Cr Gavan Holt congratulated all the award winners on their selfless service.
“These individuals are remarkable for their generosity in donating so much time and energy to their local communities,” Cr Holt said.
“We salute them today, and thank them for what they are doing, yet must also thank the many others in our towns and districts who do a great deal – often unrecognised – to contribute to the life of their neighbours and local areas.”