Cardinia Shire Australia Day 2019 award winners announced
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Cardinia Shire’s Australia Day 2019 award winners were announced as part of Council’s Australia Day celebrations on Saturday.
The Australia Day 2019 award winners are:
Citizen of the year: Dr Harpreet Kandra Senior citizen of the year: June Wright Young citizen of the year: Meaghan Venables Community event of the year: Yakkerboo FestivalCardinia Shire Mayor Cr Graeme Moore congratulated the winners and nominees, and thanked them for their commitment and important contributions to the Cardinia Shire community.
“Today we acknowledge and celebrate these outstanding Australians and look forward to continuing to all work together to make our community, and our nation, truly great,” Cr Moore said.
“This year’s Citizen of the Year, Dr Harpreet Kandra was a driving force for the new Sikh temple in Officer, which fosters a sense of community and acceptance, and provides a safe space for personal and spiritual growth.
“Our Senior or the Year, June Wright has been recognised for her lifetime of volunteering in Koo Wee Rup – from Scouts, to RSL and Op Shops. June also won Citizen of the Year with her husband in 1997.
“Meaghan Venables took out our Young Person of the Year award for 2019. At just 21 years of age, this Surf Life Saving volunteer and active award-winning Scout Leader and Committee member has contributed significantly to the safety and wellbeing of our young people and wider community in and around Beaconsfield.
“The Community Event of the Year was awarded to Yakkerboo Festival; a much-loved local arts and community event that has been running for 42 years. This event is delivered by a committee who work tirelessly each year to ensure the event grows from strength to strength”.
“Without the efforts and dedication of people like our Australia Day nominees and award winners, our shire would not be the great place it is.”
Australia Day celebrations occurred across the shire throughout the day at free events in Beaconsfield, Bunyip, Cockatoo, Koo Wee Rup, Lakeside Pakenham and Lang Lang, and at the Cardinia Shire outdoor pools.
For a full list of nominees in this year's Australia Day Awards, see www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/AustraliaDayNominees
For more information about Australia Day in Cardinia Shire, visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/AustraliaDay