The City of Stirling’s 2022 Community Citizen of the Year award recipients have come together to encourage nominations for the 2023 awards.
Each year on Australia Day, the awards give local governments the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of people within the community. These prestigious awards are a program of Auspire – Australia Day Council WA.
Nominations for the four categories are currently open and will close 31 October 2022:
- Community Citizen of the Year
- Community Citizen of the Year – Youth (under 25 years)
- Community Citizen of the Year – Senior (65 years or over)
- Active Citizenship – group or event.
2022 Community Citizen of the Year for the City of Stirling, Vince Garreffa, has been leading the local campaign to encourage more nominations and said he wholeheartedly encouraged people to nominate normal, everyday people who are making a difference.
“We need more people nominating. Plenty of people are worthy, but more often than not they go unnoticed,” he said.
“Sometimes you end up lighting a fire underneath someone you nominate who wasn’t necessarily doing what they do for the recognition, but having been recognised, they might then realise that they really are making a difference and be encouraged to go even further.
“So if you’re thinking about nominating someone in your street, in your suburb, in your local area, I encourage you to nominate them. Nobody will know if they don’t win, but they might find out that you nominated them; what a glorious thing it would then be for them to know they have a friend out there.”
2022 Youth Citizen of the Year Tara Lord spoke about the value of volunteering being life-changing for you and life-changing for the people receiving your efforts.
2022 Senior Citizen of the Year award winner Terry Conley agreed, saying the community gets value from your volunteering, and that you get joy from the social interactions you have and the people you meet.
2022 Active Citizenship Award (group) winners Bend in the Road said it was important to set a good example for our children, and that if you want to have good neighbours, the solution is to be a good neighbour yourself.
Mayor Mark Irwin said he was thrilled that this year, the 2022 winners of the Community Citizen of the Year awards had played an active role in being ambassadors for the City’s ongoing campaign to encourage further recognition of the value of volunteerism.
“We are forever indebted to the volunteers who contribute to the fabric of our local community,” he said.
“Every community has local heroes, and you have the opportunity to acknowledge those making outstanding contributions. People like Vince, Tara, Terry, and the members of the Bend in the Road have shown extraordinary selflessness and community spirit, and the City is so proud to have them as our ambassadors for local volunteerism and the annual awards.
“I encourage you to nominate someone; nominations can come from a broad list of community endeavours including education, health, fund-raising, charitable and voluntary services, business, sport, arts, the environment, social inclusion, or any other area that contributes to the advancement and wellbeing of the community.
“So we look forward to recognising new examples of community spirit and kindness, because as our Community Citizen of the Year Vince Garreffa is fond of saying, if you’re not showing kindness, you’re not collecting happiness.”
Nominate now at www.stirling.wa.gov.au/citizenshipawards
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