News Alert |

Three of Ballarat’s outstanding older residents have been recognised at the City of Ballarat’s 2019 Senior of the Year Awards at the Ballarat Town Hall this afternoon.

This is the eleventh year Council has presented the awards, which recognise local residents aged 55 years and older who have made a significant contribution to the Ballarat community.

The awards also launched the 2019 Victorian Seniors Festival in Ballarat. See the full list of Ballarat events online at ballarat.vic.gov.au

The 2019 award winners are:    Senior of the Year / Healthy and Active Living Award – Margaret Potter

Margaret Potter joined the Happy Wanderers in 2007. After being elected to the committee, she was appointed president in 2011 – a position she still holds today.

The Happy Wanderers provide social and recreation activities for people over the age of 60. Predominantly an active walking group, it proved popular and soon became a self- managed group of interested retirees.

Margaret started playing basketball in 1964 and continued to play until she was 65 years of age. She is a qualified referee and was president of the Ladies Auxiliary. Margaret served on committees and worked behind the scenes to support the Lady Miners and the Youth League Nuggets, providing meals for visiting teams after games. 

In 1969, Margaret and the stadium manager started the Married Women’s Basketball Association, which still continues 50 years later.

Margaret has always been interested in sport and, over the years, has participated in netball, squash, ten pin bowling, exercise classes and water aerobics, along with being a member of the Wendouree Athletic Club.

She has been president of the Parents Without Partners Dance Club since 1973 and was granted life membership of the Ballarat Basketball Association in 2016.

For over 20 years, Margaret volunteered her time weekly with Meals on Wheels, delivering meals to elderly Ballarat residents.

Margaret was the first female bus driver at Rick Thege Bus Lines for 22 years and was with Gold Bus Ballarat for six years. 

Upon retirement, Margaret volunteered in the kiosk at Ballarat Base Hospital for seven years.

She has lived and promoted a healthy and active lifestyle, encouraging others to involve themselves in activities and social engagement, contributing to the health and wellbeing of the community across all age groups. 

Volunteering Award – Dawn Fischer

Dawn Fischer has volunteered with the Sebastopol and District Lions Club for 27 years. She has been president, secretary and bulletin editor numerous times, as well as BBQ and catering chairman. 

Dawn is currently secretary to the Lions Club Cabinet and has held positions at zone level as a Cabinet member and zone chairperson. Her current role involves co-ordinating and recording the work of 60 Lions Clubs from the western suburbs of Melbourne to the South Australian border. The role also involves serving as secretary to the District Governor.

Dawn also mentors other Lions Clubs and was instrumental in starting the new Alfredton Lions Club.

She has been the leader of the 1st Sebastopol Girl Guides Unit for the past 39 years. Dawn helps young girls enhance their skills, develop leadership, teamwork, self-respect and confidence, and become competent and confident young women.

Dawn leads the team that plans the weekly programs for youth members aged 10 to 17, runs camps, maintains finances, organises fundraising, and handles all administration. She encourages good values in others by encouraging volunteerism, selling badges for the RSL, ANZAC Day services, Clean Up Australia and many others.

Every four years, a group of Girl Scouts from the City of Inagawa in Japan visit Ballarat, with Dawn organising their home stays and a program to showcase Ballarat to them.

She has held committee positions with the Guides since 2010.

Dawn joined the Sebastopol Senior Citizens in 2010 and has held committee positions since then and is currently Treasurer.

Dawn demonstrates that age is no barrier to participation and both her enthusiasm and energy are infectious.

Diversity Award – Yvon Davis 

A former executive producer at SBS Radio Dutch, Yvon Davis started her career at Voice FM. She is currently Voice FM’s Ethnic Coordinator, assisting various ethnic programs, applying for grants, designing flyers and providing administration support.

She also handles the station’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, presents Dutch news once a week, and organises ethnic workshops.

Yvon was a multicultural ambassador for the City of Ballarat between 2016 and 2018, and is currently an Intercultural Advisor for the City of Ballarat. She has been supporting the new ambassadors as well as the CALD community in various projects that promote social inclusion. 

Yvon has been actively involved in organising and promoting events for Harmony Fest, including Refugee Week and other symbolic days celebrated by Ballarat’s migrant communities. She also administers the Intercultural Ambassadors’ Facebook page, posting inspiring stories about the intercultural community, migrants, refugees and members of the Ballarat community who are working with those of a CALD background.

As an ambassador, Yvon provides talks at schools and organisations on intercultural practice, promotes her own Dutch heritage, and assists with the Dutch Facebook page. She organised Harmony Week speakers who discussed ethnic diversity on the goldfields. Yvon has also assisted the intercultural team in developing the annual Intercultural “All of Us” Calendar.

Yvon is the author of Jann Vennik: the Dutchman at Eureka, with her second book – Mining, Mud and Medals – nearing completion.

She has volunteered at the Intercultural Information Place at the Ballarat Library for many years. Yvon is tasked with meeting people newly arrived in Ballarat and assisting with general information on various services they can access.

Yvon demonstrates exemplary voluntary service to the community. She has inspired other women to seek leadership roles and share knowledge through volunteering.