Tireless work honoured
Tireless volunteer and refugee advocate John Millington is Hindmarsh Shire Council’s 2017 Citizen of the Year.
Mr Millington, of Nhill, received his Australia Day award from Mayor Debra Nelson.
Cr Nelson also announced Jeparit’s Charlotte Kube as Young Citizen of the Year and Dimboola Food Festival as Community Event of the Year.
Australia Day started early in Hindmarsh Shire, with a breakfast barbecue at Rainbow. Ceremonies followed at Rainbow, Jeparit, Dimboola and Nhill.
Hindmarsh’s Australia Day Ambassador Aris Imbardelli gave an interactive address at each event. The highlight of each ceremony was the presentation of awards.
Rainbow Lions Club awarded a local citizenship award, Nhill Lions Club a local young citizenship award and Dimboola Town Committee presented an award to a successful community event. 2017 Australia Day Award winners were: Citizen of the Year – John Millington OAM, Nhill. John is a tireless volunteer, always willing to help develop initiatives for the community.
He has been the driver of the successful establishment of a Karen community at Nhill and has assisted his wife Margaret in lobbying the government to establish ‘real-time’ monitoring of prescription medicines, along with being involved in the Wimmera Road Trauma Committee.
In 2012, John was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia, OAM, for service to aviculture and to the community of Nhill. Young Citizen of the Year – Charlotte Kube, Jeparit. Charlotte is a 16-year-old student and is well-known for her exceptional cello playing, in particular playing at the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra’s 30th anniversary. Charlotte was awarded winner of the News Boy’s Foundation Regional Award 2015, along with dux of years seven, eight, nine and 10 at Nhill College, year 7-10 Learning Area Award in 2015, Jacinda Faith Twigg Rising Star Scholarship and Luv-a-duck High Achiever Award 2015. She received numerous awards from Nhill College in 2016. Charlotte also received a Lions Club of Nhill Scholarship, Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Scholarship and was also winner of the Years 7 to 10 Science Domain Award. Community event – Dimboola Food Festival. In August 2016, Dimboola Food Festival brought many visitors to the town for a weekend of festivities. The event promoted Dimboola and showcased the shire, boosting tourism.
Yarriambiack awards
Rural Northwest Health Board chairman and former Warracknabeal principal Leo Casey is Yarriambiack Shire Council’s Citizen of the Year.
Mr Casey has an extensive history of contributing to the communities he has been involved in, largely on a voluntary basis.
He has played major roles in Warracknabeal Football-netball Club, Warracknabeal Community Centre, St Mary’s Catholic Parish and Rotary Club of Warracknabeal, among others.
Murtoa’s Thomas Mcgrath won the shire’s young citizen award on Australia Day for his work with Yarriambiack’s Youth Action Council and the Young Farmers Ministerial Advisory Council.
The WAG Christmas Festival-carols by Candlelight won the Community Event of the Year accolade.