On the eve of Australia Day celebrations, Wauchope's Neville Parsons has been named Port Macquarie-Hastings Citizen of the Year for 2015.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Local Australia Day Award winners were announced at a special ceremony at the Glasshouse with winners being presented with their certificates and medallions by Mayor Peter Besseling and Australia Day Ambassador Henry Szeps OAM.
“Neville has tirelessly volunteered over 25 years of his time to local health and education boards, as well as being heavily involved with Rotary," mayor Peter Besseling said. "It was an honour to recognise his dedication and commitment to our community causes and events”.
Surf lifesaver, Jessica Rayner was named Young Citizen of the Year, recognising not only her contribution as a club member at Port Macquarie Surf Club, but also for her involvement in educating the community.
Betty Boyd was named Senior Citizen of the Year for her tireless contributions to the community, particularly in the Camden Haven.
Community Group of the Year was awarded to Sailability NSW Port Macquarie Branch.
Mayor Peter Besseling said that the Australia Day Awards highlight the some of the real heroes of our local community.
“The Award winners and all of those nominated have contributed a great deal of their time and energy to our local community, epitomising the true Australian spirit,” Cr Besseling said.
“Thank you also to Australia Day subcommittee for managing the Awards process and coordinating the wonderful celebrations throughout the Hastings on Australia Day.”
Citizen of the Year - Neville Parsons
Neville has volunteered significant time to the Wauchope and wider Hastings communities for over 25 years. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Wauchope since 1981. His participation on a variety of health and education boards and local initiatives is consistently backed up with a heavy involvement in all the ‘labouring’ aspects involved with ensuring community groups succeed. He has served as Past President, Secretary, District Governor, a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, Chairman of Rotary Down Under Inc, served on the Bundaleer Nursing Home and Timbertown Management Committees, served on the Wauchope High School Council and Public School Council, board member of the Mid North Coast Local Health Board, and a Director of Life Education NSW – he has consistently demonstrated his willingness to lend not only his profile but his organisational expertise to community causes and events.
Young Citizen of the Year - Jessica Rayner
This season life saver Jess has completed in excess of 114 patrol hours, gained 100% patrol attendance and is vice-captain on her patrol.
She has recently been awarded the NSW Young Lifesaver of the Year and is a highly dedicated patrolling and club member. Over the season she has obtained her Rescue Water Craft Operator Certificate and has assisted in search and rescue operations for the Duty Officers over the past three years. Jess has also been involved in first aid events and water safety for Ironman during the past four years at a branch level. Jess has been instrumental in helping create the new website – a mammoth task. She ran the last Bronze Medallion Squad at the club, while completing another Bronze Medallion course. She also ran the Surf Survival Program for six high schools in the area and whilst under the guidance of a training officer ran a Surf Rescue Course for 20 adult indigenous males from outback NSW, some, who had never seen the water before.
Senior Citizen of the Year- Betty Boyd
Since moving into this local council district in 1986, Betty has given selflessly of her time and abilities and assisted the Brownies and Girl Guides, notably as District Leader at Kendall. Betty is a founding member of Kendall Heritage Society, taught religious education for over 10 years, volunteers for iKew Information Centre, Committee member for Camden Haven Produce Agricultural Horticulture & Industrial Society and active member of Hastings Museums & Heritage Group and Heritage Museums Sub-Committee, Herons Creek District Heritage & Tourist Trails committee. Betty has a beautiful singing voice and is committed to local choirs including Laurieton Voices, The Happy Notes, Camden Haven Anglican Church Choir and musical society’s performances. She is involved with Kew War Memorial 2014 and the restoration, opening and ongoing work running the Herons Creek Chapel as a local heritage building.
Community Group of the Year - Sailability NSW Port Macquarie Branch
Sailability’s mission is to offer people with disability the opportunity to participate in the sport of sailing. Every Wednesday for nine months of the year, 30 volunteers attend McInherney Park and enable 50 children and adults with disability to sail the Hastings River in dinghies. Bianca, a vision impaired student and participant, praises the Sailability Volunteers for the opportunity to go out in a boat, feel the wind in her hair and enjoy the peacefulness of it.