The crucial role that volunteers, and other key community members play in supporting our community’s most vulnerable (especially through a global pandemic), were honoured at this month’s Senior’s Festival Recognition Awards.
Residents and community leaders came together at the Blue Mountains Theatre & Community Hub in Springwood on Monday to acknowledge the positive contributions that individuals and organisations make to the lives of senior residents across the Blue Mountains.
The Awards were hosted by Blue Mountains City Council and form part of the month-long program of events that have been taking place at various locations throughout the Blue Mountains as part of the NSW Senior’s Festival.
Deputy Mayor, Councillor Chris Van der Kley, opened the ceremony at the Hub with Gundungarra Elder Aunty Sharyn Halls and Dharug man Chris Tobin, who also spoke and conducted a Welcome to Country.
Brian Turner then spoke about the benefits of volunteering both for individuals and the broader community before State and Federal Members for the Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle and Susan Templeman, assisted Chris Van der Kley in handing out the awards.
In total, 1 organisation and 20 individuals were awarded.
The 2021 Seniors Week Recognition Awards – individual recipients were: Terry Ryan, Jeff Mason, Kathy Ryan, Ian Power, Ivy Lorenz, Bob Moller, Ian Glover, Elizabeth Norman, Sabrina Haberlah, Sam Refalo, Elizabeth Godleman, Pat Ainslie, Sean Moylan, Christine Barlow, Diane Stebbings, Carol Ross, Ben Lund, Glenys Bann and Stephen Makepeace.
The 2021 Seniors Week Recognition Awards – organisation recipient was: The Armstrong Op Shop in Wentworth Falls.
The awards were given to recipients for volunteering their time and energy in areas such as palliative care, delivering meals to elderly people and people with disabilities, caring for the natural environment, providing practical and emotional support to people in need, and running community and neighbour centres.
In both of their closing speeches, Trish Doyle and Susan Templeman applauded the award winners and acknowledged the numerous, selfless and meaningful contributions they make every day to our community.
The 2021 Blue Mountains Seniors Festival runs until the end of April. For more information, or to download your festival program please visit: https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/seniors-week
Image: Deputy BMCC Mayor Chris Van Der Kley, Trish Doyle – State Member for Blue Mountains, Helen Buckle and Federal Member for Blue Mountains – Susan Templeman at the 2021 Senior’s Festival Recognition Awards.
