Make sure this year is one we’ll all be proud of

I hope you’ve had a fantastic holiday period and New Year and are refreshed for the busy year ahead.

With so much already happening in our community, our workforce has been preparing to make it as easy as possible for you to navigate the State Government mandates as they become available and ensuring our community is kept safe.

Earlier this week we celebrated Australia Day with an outdoor citizenship ceremony at the beautiful Jackadder Lake Reserve, inviting the local community in to witness the special occasion.

It was inspiring to see new Australians from over 50 different countries welcomed whilst also awarding and acknowledging our local heroes through the Auspire Citizen of the Year Awards.

This year's Community Citizen of the Year was awarded to Vince Gareffa, the Senior Community Citizen of the Year to Terry Conley, the Young Community Citizen of the Year to Tara Lord and the Active Citizenship Award to The Bend in the Road.

• A long-time contributor to business both in Inglewood and state-wide through his own Mondo’s Butchers, Vince was a foundation member of the Beaufort Street Network and a key driving force in the establishment of the now renowned Inglewood Night Markets.
• In the past year, The Bend team worked particularly hard to reconnect local residents and to stimulate local economy in the aftermath of COVID-19, by implementing community projects and organising local events.
• Tara created a project initiative that uses Animal Assisted Therapy to provide support to those in need, and adopted a dog from a rescue shelter so the project was helping both animals and people.
• A member of the Mt Lawley Bowling Club for eight years, Terry served on the committee as secretary for five years from 2014-2019 and is currently serving his third term as president.

I think it is one of the best things we do, to combine these community awards with a citizenship ceremony, because it is our way of welcoming our newest Australians and showing them the very best our community has to offer.

Just as you are pledging yourself to our community, we are celebrating the successes and highlights of people who are part of that community, as shown by the achievements of our leading citizens and their often unrecognised contributions to the fabric of the community.

With 2022 looking like a year that will require patience and tolerance for all, I urge you all to think about what citizenship means to you.

Be positive and understanding, look after your neighbours and friends and make sure this year is one we’ll all be proud of.