By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
The Emerald Village Association Inc. (EVA) hosted its annual 2024 Emerald Citizen of the Year Awards Night on Wednesday 23 October at the Hills Club, starting from 7.30pm – with community members invited to join in celebrating community excellence.
The EVA is a key voice for residents and community groups, supported by the Emerald business community.
Since 2010, the EVA has hosted the Citizen of the Year Awards to honour individuals who have significantly contributed to the community, starting with the legacy of Jean Worrell.
Last Wednesday, the EVA welcomed over 70 community members to the Hills Hub for their annual event celebrating local volunteers.
The awards celebrate three categories: Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, and Group/Event of the Year and a history of these awards is displayed on the Honour Board in the foyer of the Hills Hub.
The event officially began with the arrival of Mayor Jack Kowarzik, dressed in his purple robes, and newly elected EVA president, Peter Maloney, welcomed attendees and introduced representatives from various local groups.
This year’s winner of the Emerald Citizen of the Year was Magda Lane nominated by Jody Yandle.
Emerald CFA member Jody Yandle, a long-time friend of Magda Lane, nominated her for the award due to her extensive support for the community over three decades.
“I nominated Magda Lane for her remarkable 34 years of service to our community, I first met her 25 years ago when she managed the op shop, which donates proceeds to local emergency services and enrich friendships among residents,” Ms Yandle said.
“Beyond the op shop, Magda has provided palliative care for over 30 years, offering support to terminally ill individuals and their families.”
“Her strong Christian faith drives her involvement in various initiatives, including youth services and the Emerald Emergency Planning Group and I wanted to ensure her invaluable contributions were recognised, as she truly is a pillar of our community.”
Ms Lane said it’s a great honour to win the award.
“As a Christian, I serve God first and foremost, but being recognised in this way makes me very happy, and I am pleased to be the recipient,” she said.
“My family kept it a secret from me, and I started to suspect something was happening on the day.”
“My nine-year-old granddaughter noticed my reluctance to get involved and said, ‘Don’t worry, grandma, go for it, and I’ll write you a speech,’ so I went ahead, and she did write me a speech, which I presented on the night.”
Ms Lane said she’s grateful to live in a supportive and spirited community like Emerald.
She said many people model this behaviour, providing numerous opportunities to help through their church and other avenues.
“If there’s any way I can encourage others to volunteer, I’d love to,” she said.
“We have a wonderful community with many dedicated volunteers, but there may be others who are a bit reluctant to get involved and I’d love to encourage them.”
Keilah Dewar and Alice Mattille were both recognised as Emerald Young Citizens of the Year, with Keilah nominated by Mitch Blackwell and Alice by Keilah herself.
The Hills MND Big Freeze, represented by Matt Stickland and nominated by Brian Hannan, was awarded Group of the Year.
The Hills MND Big Freeze began with local Matt Stickland, diagnosed with MND in 2015 and given a life expectancy of two to three years.
To raise awareness and funds, he joined FightMND, a national organisation supporting MND research and treatment and in 2017, he started participating in the Lighthouse drug trial.
Mr Stickland and his family have been active in the local community, involved in groups like Macclesfield Primary School and Auskick – this led them to raise funds for FightMND, beginning in April 2024 and culminating in the Hills MND Big Freeze event on June 2, 2024.
For eight years, the Stickland family has volunteered with FightMND, starting when their son, Baxter, sold beanies at the MCG.
Inspired by a local MND Slide event, they created their own Hills MND Slide, which attracted over a thousand supporters, including local politicians and celebrities.
The nominator, Mr Hannan said the publicity was so great that scammers tried to sell tickets for this free event.
These honours highlighted the significant contributions of individuals and groups within the Emerald community.
Guests enjoyed music from Keilah Dewar, a talented pianist and captain at Emerald Secondary College, who became a favourite of the crowd.
These representatives shared their achievements and future plans, showcasing the impactful work of volunteers in the region.
During the night, Dick Bartley, the EVA President for 2023, received a Certificate as runner-up for Citizen of the Year, sharing the honour with Vanessa Kewish. Last year’s Citizen of the Year, Margie Gemmell, also spoke about her experiences following her recognition.
The evening highlighted the importance of community spirit and the vital contributions of local volunteers.
