Nominate a worthy citizen

A past Young Citizen of the Year winner is encouraging people to nominate a worthy citizen for the upcoming Australia Day awards.

The simple act of volunteering to work with children and young people with disabilities saw Ashlea Bennett awarded Wodonga's Young Citizen of the Year ten years ago.

Ashlea was 17 years old at the time and had been volunteering with Interchange Albury Wodonga in her spare time.

"I didn't know I had been nominated until I got a phone call saying I had won the award," she said.

A teacher at Ashlea's school made the nomination.

"The teacher saw I was getting out in the community and lending a hand, it was that simple," she said.

Ashlea, who has cerebral palsy, said she had never let her condition stand in the way of her being the best she can be.

Ashlea is now a teacher at Lavington East Public School and is urging others to notice people contributing to the community and nominate them for a citizen award.

"We all know people in the community who are doing good things and it doesn't have to be something major, small things can make a big change," she said.

The Australia Day awards will be presented at the council’s Australia Day celebrations at Les Stone Park on Sunday, January 26, 2020.

Nominations can be done online at wod.city/AusDayAward and close on Monday, December 2.

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