A woman who reunites lost pets with their owners, a 12 year old charity champion known as the “rainbow warrior’’, a dance charity for people with disabilities and a gun sport allrounder have taken out Campbelltown’s 2018 Australias Day honours.
The ceremony in Koshigaya Park included a speech by Australia Day ambassador Michael Tomalaris, an SBS sports journalist, the cutting of an Australia Day cake and a citizenship ceremony.
“The commitment of our awards recipients to their causes is clear, and the difference they make to our community is tangible,’’ said Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr George Brticevic during his speech.
“I’d like to congratulate and offer a heart-felt thank you to each of them for supporting those in need, and for helping to make our city a better place.”
• Ruse resident Jody Scott, the founder of Campbelltown Lost, Found and Injured Pets, was named citizen of the year.
Miss Scott’s organisation assists with searches for missing animals, provides free “missing’’’ posters for use in letterbox drops and display in community areas, facilitates emergency financial assistance for the treatment of injured pets, offers microchipping assistance, and attends to deceased pets, returning them to their families where possible.
• Astrid Graham, a 12 year old charity fundraising dynamo from Minto was named Young Citizen of the Year.
She is known as “rainbow warrior’’ because of her rainbow socks, is happy to go without if it means she can help others.
In 2016 she started a Facebook page, Help Astrid Pay it Forward, to collect and donate second hand toys for less fortunate kids.
Her long list of fundraising activities includes:
tie-dying socks and selling them, with profits going towards buying items for her care packages;
growing her hair long for the sole purpose of having it cut off for donation to Variety Australia, which makes wigs for kids with cancer;
making up 50 Easter packs with winter pyjamas, colouring books, pencils and an Easter egg;
visiting nursing homes at Christmas, Easter and Mother’s Day;
collecting work clothing for Dress for Success, blankets and quilts for her winter appeal and 150 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls Australia;
participating in National Tree Day, White Ribbon Day, Clean Up Australia Day and Shining Stars Kids Cook for Outreach.
• Everyone Can Dance, a registered dance charity which provides free dance, drama and singing lessons to residents with disability was named community group initiative of the year.
There are 100 students enrolled in the charity, and more than 20 students on a waiting list, ranging in age from four to 52 years old.
Students have a broad range of disabilities, including autism, downs syndrome, intellectual disability and cerebral palsy.
The charity’s achievements have included performing with the Special Olympics group and at Dreamworld (for which they raised $69,000 to fly every student and one parent to Queensland), competitions, musicals, opening events and conferences.
• Sportsperson of the year Sonny Edwards-Moeke, of Glen Alpine, who is just 11 had success in a number of sports across a number of competitions in 2017, including Tag20, rugby union, Oztag, rugby league, touch football, cross country and Little Athletics.
