Our humble, quiet achievers receive local Australia Day awards

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Judith Trimboli, right, with Mayor Lound and 2025 Australia Day ambassador Mary-Ruth Mendel. Picture: South West Voice Photography.

Beth Godwin, the 2025 Campbelltown Australia Day citizen of the year, wasn’t at this morning’s presentations in the Greg Percival community centre, Ingleburn.

Another nominee for citizen of the year, Ken Barnard, who accepted the award on her behalf, revealed that Ms Godwin was currently enjoying a sea cruise.

And if that’s not such a typical Aussie story, I don’t know what is.

Long may we continue to be the relaxed, humble, quiet achievers that most fair dinkum, patriotic Australians tend to be.

In any event, the absence of the 2025 citizen of the year did not in any way dampen enthusiasm for this morning’s gathering, presided for the first time by Campbelltown Mayor Darcy Lound.

Back to the citizen of the year, and the reason that Beth Godwin beat a raft of other compelling nominations for the 2025 award.

Her initiatives over the years have included providing homeless individuals and families with food, clothing and necessities.

As part of the Hidden Homeless program, each person is given a care pack containing personal and speciality items.

Gifts of Hope is another program where Ms Godwin goes the extra mile every year to make sure that more than 500 young people up to the age of 18 get a Christmas present.

The Minto Gardens project helped alleviate isolation for aged residents through craft and health workshops, and hand written cards on events like Mothers’ Day.

Ms Godwin is chairperson of the mental health and wellbeing committee of Rotary Club Ingleburn.

Under her stewardship, programs like Mental Health First Aid have been implemented, and Meals on Wheels and youth and community RuOK activities have been supported.

And then there was the Passfield Park Kids initiative –  the replacement of an entire school library sacrificed to mould through donations, purchases and covering of books.

The other nominees for citizen of the year were Bob Wu, Jasaman Singh-Sethi, Jason Johnson, Jessica Cotter, Joanne Warwick, Ken Barnard, Liz Oddy, Maureen Lemalu, Melody Chime, Nadeem Ahmed, Parvez Chan, Shefali Pall, Steve Noyce and Tim Pickles.

The nominees for 2025 citizen of the year.

Usually, the citizen of the year joins the mayor of the day and the Australia Day ambassador to cut a cake specially made for the annual celebration of the lucky country.

But the absence of Beth Godwin meant this year’s senior citizen of the year, Judith Trimboli, stepped up to fill the breach.

Since 1997, Mrs Trimboli has volunteered her time to numerous community groups and events across Campbelltown. She also advocates for seniors’ rights.

She engages other leaders to connect with one another through the Seniors Issues and Interest Group.

Initiatives she has been involved with include Cyber Seekers, My Aged Care Trials and fundraising for cancer research.

The other nominees for senior citizen of the year were Dorothy Dover, Gordon Costello, Marie Westall, Phillip Watt and Tipi Kato.

Three locals were nominated for young citizen of the year, Anika Shinde, Emily McMartin and Zara Whitney.

Ms Whitney, who took out this category, volunteers at the Formal Project, where she has become a very popular member of the team.

Campbelltown Historical Society won the award for community group initiative of the year, ahead of A-B Street Library, Bradbury Preschool, I’m Every Woman Sydney, Indians in Sydney Welfare Association, South West Community Transport, and the Formal Project.

Bradbury Preschool won the environmental award of the year, ahead of Bhrithi Manjunata, Graeme Comerford and Tim Pickles.

Aleksander Stoilova, a local track and field athlete who took part in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, received the sports award, ahead of four other nominees, Cerenity Lousick, Kya Phillips, Primrose DeJesus, and Shanell Dargan.

And the final category award, diversity and inclusion, went to Tipi Kato for his “outstanding contribution’’ to the Samoan Seniors Campbelltown Group since its inception 13 years ago.

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