Lake Grace Citizen of the Year

Geoff Sabourne nominated by Lake Grace Community Resource Centre

Geoff is a tireless volunteer who gives of his time to numerous organisations within our community; when he offers to assist with something you know you can rely on him. His volunteer time has meant that a variety of projects and organisations have continued to provide necessary recreational and civic facilities and in the case of the Lake Grace Sportsman's Club made a valuable contribution to their financial situation.

As a JP he's willingly made himself available to anyone needing documents witnessed; at the Community Resource Centre we're grateful that we have someone readily accessible within our community that we can send people to.

Lake Grace Pingrup Football Club - currently Geoff is the Club's goal umpire; since 1983 he has officiated at over 500 A and B Grade games. Over the 35 years he has been involved with the club he has been the Secretary, Treasurer, Bar Manager, Canteen Manager, Team Manager (for both A & B Grades), Tribunal Representative (20+ years), Time Keeper and Club Delegate for the League.

Lake Grace Sportsman's Club - Geoff volunteers his time every Friday night to cook meals for the paying public; his volunteering of his time has assisted the club in providing a service that has brought clients through the door and helped keep the club financially viable.

Lake Grace Bowls Club – Geoff is a keen member of the bowls club and over his many years of involvement has been club President, Secretary, Captain and fulfilled other roles within the team.

With rural sport suffering from a lack of volunteers Geoff’s willingness to take on roles has helped his club survive.

Lake Grace Basketball Club - now in recess the basketball club was the recipient of many hours of Geoff's volunteer time in a variety of roles.

Driver Reviver – Lake Grace Roadwise manages a Driver Reviver van for long weekends, Geoff is a keen volunteer and always the first to respond to fill a place on the roster.

JP – Most people at some point in time need documents verified, Geoff is always available to help people whether it be from his place of work or from his home.

Geoff works in administration at Great Southern Fuels; he has a marvellous attitude toward the customers, particularly the elderly and is always willing to help them whether it be with managing the card service, getting the fuel cap off or fueling up.

Geoff is incredibly committed to his community and would be an incredibly deserving recipient of the citizenship award.

Lake Grace Community Citizen of the Year Acknowledgement Award 

Paula Carruthers nominated by the Lake Grace Development Association

Paula has made significant contributions to many organisations in the community of Lake Grace over the last 25 years. She has shown outstanding commitment to those organisations. Due to her commitment our community of Lake Grace enjoys wonderful facilities, an attractive safe environment to live, work and socialise.

She is currently Chairperson of the Lake Grace Community Resource Centre, Secretary of the Lake Grace Development Association and Secretary since 2013 of the Lake Grace/Pingrup Football Club.

As Secretary for the Lake Grace Great Southern Colts Carnival she not only does the secretarial work Paula helps cook breakfasts, washes jumpers and anything else that needs doing to make it a success for the past 17 years.

Paula is a valuable Lake Grace St John Ambulance Officer and has been since 2012. They train every Thursday and the volunteers are always on call. She was also Secretary of the District Hospital Board.

Along with her husband Greg and son Justin, they volunteer to donate machinery and help with the seeding and harvest for the Lake Grace Community Cropping; the crop which is to benefit all the organisations in Lake Grace in the future.

Paula has been President of Lake Grace Land Conservation District Committee (LCDC) since 2013 and worked with the Lake Grace Jam Patch Rejuvenation Group on the Jam Patch Protection Project since 2015.

While her three children attended Lake Grace District High School Paula she was an active member of the Lake Grace P&C until all three had completed year ten. During those years she was very active in the Lake Grace Swimming Club, coaching, a committee member, accredited coach and became a life member of the Swimming Club. Another passion of Paula’s been the Lake Grace Gym Club and was an accredited coach for 15 years.

Paula is a valued member of any organisation she becomes involved with. This nomination for the Premiers Australia Day Active Citizenship Award is for the many hours she has given to our wonderful community not only during 2018 but for many years previously.

Paula has carried out her roles in the above organizations in a professional manner which has contributed to them being well organized and a great asset to our community.

Lake Grace Senior Citizen of the Year

Elizabeth Carruthers nominated by Lake Grace Community Resource Centre, Lake Grace Development Association and Lake Grace Lions Club

Nomination from Lake Grace Community Resource Centre

Mrs Carruthers in her very unassuming way makes her way around town and onto the North Lake Grace road picking up litter. She is regularly seen by community members and travellers walking with bag in hand and collecting the litter to keep our community clean.

An octogenarian Mrs Carruthers has a daily exercise regimen, this includes walking around our town collecting litter; no area escapes her attention. She also collects along the North Lake Grace roadside between the town and the family farm.

There are a number of members of our community who continue to clean up after those who carelessly discard their refuse; but nobody puts in the hours that Mrs Carruthers does. Although she will undoubtedly be very 

cross about being nominated, Mrs Carruthers is a very worthy nominee.

Nomination from Lake Grace Development Association

For many years Elizabeth has been a champion for keeping our town of Lake Grace clean and tidy.

Elizabeth had spent many hours walking and collecting rubbish on the roadside’s to the entries to our town. The town site has not missed out either and she can often be seen around the streets on her walks busily improving the environment.

Tourist and visitors often comment on what a lovely tidy, neat town Lake Grace is and we are sure this is from Elizabeth’s commitment to making Lake Grace a pleasant place to live and visit. We thank and salute you Elizabeth, well done.

Nomination from Lake Grace Lions Club 

Seldom do we come across a person more considerate and community minded than Mrs Elizabeth Carruthers. To keep fit and healthy Elizabeth has chosen walking, and walking she does all over town and well beyond its boundaries. To add value to her time and effort Elizabeth always picks up what others left behind, a plastic bottle, aluminum can, a paper bag, to whatever unsightly object she sees on her way.

For Elizabeth, this has become her hobby, and rather her passion to keep the roadway uncluttered and free of rubbish. There is no day too cold or a day too hot to stop her pursuing her effort to maintain her fitness and her will to keep our roadsides as she wants them to be, clean and attractive.

We hope and expect that her unselfish act will inspire and motivate others to do same. Elizabeth’s way of telling those who are careless in their rubbish disposal, please put a STOP to it, and let’s make our town beautiful.

We at Lions Club of Lake Grace see Mrs Elizabeth Carruthers as a person who embodies all the qualities of a truly valued citizen who genuinely deserve the honour of the Senior Citizen of the year.

Lake Grace Active Citizenship Award for a Community Group or Event

Lake Grace - Kukerin Hockey Club nominated by Danielle, Robertson Lake Grace Development Association

Following the withdrawal of three clubs from the Greater Wheatbelt Men's Hockey Association the Lake Grace-Kukerin Hockey Club saw a need to submit a men's team into the competition to keep it going, as there were only two clubs left.

A concerted effort by club members in rallying enough players saw the creation of our men's side for 2018. The first time since 1936 that Lake Grace has seen a men's hockey side. Not only did this effort contribute to the Lake Grace community by increasing our active participation in sport, but also to the wider Wheatbelt where we play our sport.

The creation of the men's side has not only allowed those who have never played hockey before to be involved in a sporting club, but brought forward members of our community who had previously had limited social outlet. It has helped with limiting the detrimental effects of solitude and heavy workloads and given the men involved a sense of camaraderie and increased their physical and mental wellbeing.

Newdegate Senior Citizens of the Year

Eileen and Barry Ness nominated by Bill Lloyd

Eileen, in partnership with husband Barry, have run the North East Bushfire Radio Base Station for the last 45 years (7 years in the old house and 38 in the new). They did the daily roll calls during the summer seasons for many years and will still do it when required.

They also attended and fought the all the fires that started in the area. They now stay close to their two-way radio in the house to keep the communication channels open between the fire coordinators.

Eileen was born and schooled in Newdegate and she and Barry have been married since April 1959.

They have always been actively involved in the community in many ways from way back in their younger days. In more recent times they were active and productive members, Eileen in the Catering and Barry 9 years as Treasurer, on the Newdegate Machinery Field Days Committee.

Eileen and Barry regularly attend the Newdegate Community Development Association meetings to keep involved in the happenings in and around their community. Eileen and Barry continue to work together as a very well-oiled machine and really enjoy participating and assisting in community events.

Newdegate Active Citizenship Award for a Community Group or Event

Newdegate Active Precinct Committee nominated by Rochell Walker

Newdegate Active Precinct group - Sarah Lloyd, Helen Steicke and Emily Gilmour have created, sourced funding and delivered a high quality, fabulous looking and functioning nature play and skate park to our town.

The combined talents of the wonderful trio of Sarah, Helen and Emily to form the Newdegate Active Precinct Committee have taken what was a vacant corner block and turned it into one of the greatest nature play – skate park – community garden combinations that can be seen in Western Australia.

The committee took this project from an initial idea, through to planning, funding and creation. Their hard work, determination and perseverance saw a project that commenced groundworks in March 2018 be delivered to our community by June 2018 with the grand opening held on the 1st of July 2018.

Not content to just deliver a world class precinct, the committee also organised skate lessons to be held on the opening and lunch for the community delivered at no cost to participants because they had continued their efforts to fundraise to ensure the experience could be enjoyed by all.

The delivery of the new active precinct to our community has improved not only the aesthetics of our town, but provided a hub for locals as well as visitors to meet and engage in an active lifestyle. Their ability to create a venue that has brought our community together across the ages has provided us with a valuable asset that will be treasured for many years to come.

Lake King  Active Citizenship of the Year Award for a Community Event of Group

‘Lake Kingfest’ nominated by Lake King Progress Association

The 'Lake Kingfest' organised by the Lake King Progress Association saw the official opening of the Bush Engineers Tractor Museum.

The event also marked the 40th Anniversary of the Church and the Tavern's 30th Birthday.

The combined celebration bought together the whole community and drew previous residents with a connection to Lake King back from across the State. The diverse event offered something of interest to both past and present members of the community with the 'Bush Engineers Tractor Museum' a lasting reminder to all future residents of the ingenuity and enterprise of the towns farming pioneers.

The Bush Engineers Tractor Museum has given the town of Lake King a focal point and encourages tourists to stop when travelling through the town.

The interactive display has bought to life the unique history of the homemade tractors of the area. It provides a visual and oral resource for surrounding schools and all those with an interest to learn about our local history.