THE hard work and community spirit of Hills residents will be honoured next week as part of Australia Day celebrations.
People from a variety of backgrounds have been nominated for this year’s Cardinia Shire Australia Day awards.
More than 25 hard working citizens and seven community groups have been nominated for the awards.
This year, 12 residents were nominated for Citizen of the year including Cockatoo’s Dot Griffin. Gembrook teenager Michael Galea was also one of four nominated for the Young Citizen of the Year.
Meanwhile, nine residents will go head to head for the coveted Senior Citizen of the year award.
Mayor Bill Ronald said all of the nominees were outstanding members of the community.
“We are very fortunate to have so many community-minded people doing so much to help Cardinia become such a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family,” he said.
Cr Ronald said it was especially pleasing to see so many people nominated in each category.
“This is a chance to pay tribute to some of our very best citizens and events and I hope the community will join us on Australia Day to acknowledge and honour their contribution,” he said. The winners will be announced at the Cardinia Cultural Centre in Pakenham on Australia Day 26 January.
Australia Day celebrations will also be held at Cockatoo, Lang Lang and Koo Wee Rup.
Nominations are:
Citizen of the year: Dot Griffin, Meryl Waterhouse, Jan Rankin, Ray Brown, Andre Van Eymeren, Steve Moloney, Daryl Blackwell, Rudy De Jong, Robert Taylor, Eleanor Taylor, Kevin Corbett and Sue Beattie.
Senior Citizen of the Year: Ron Topp, Verna Thewlis, Robert Hope, Ray Wilson, Elva Hamill, Iris West, Hanna Salzwedel, Eric Bumpstead and Sam Loguisto.
Young Citizen of the Year: Adam Ballis, Michael Galea, Amy Crockett and Natasha Boloski.
Community Event of the Year: St Thomas Anglican Flower Show, Pave Festival, Community Bowls Lang Lang, Bunyip and District Agricultural Show, Nar Nar Goon Christmas Festival, Gembrook Market and Lang Lang CERT.
