It was a day of deserved recognition for members of our community at our annual Australia Day Citizenship and Awards Ceremony at Woodville Town Hall.
We proudly welcomed 128 of our newest citizens to our vibrant City and celebrated those who have made outstanding contributions in our community with our Citizen of the Year Awards.
Mayor Angela Evans and CEO Paul Sutton were in attendance to officially open the ceremony and present the awards to these deserving winners.
Thank you to the Woodville Concert Band for their fantastic performance and to everyone who attended to make it such a special occasion for all involved.
Citizen of the Year – Christine Robertson
Christine has dedicated herself tirelessly to Lost Pets of South Australia Inc. – a charity she founded with two colleagues in 2013 that is run entirely by volunteers to reunite families with their lost pets.
Christine created the ‘Chipblitz’ program which is now the largest pet microchipping program in the southern hemisphere. Since its inception, Chipblitz has assisted the community in microchipping over 43,000 pets in over 292 locations across South Australia.
Christine’s generosity, passion and dedication to the community is remarkable and she continues to have an amazing impact on families in the City of Charles Sturt and beyond.
Senior Citizen of the Year – Alan Young
Alan has become an integral part of the Charles Sturt community over his 20 years of residence in West Beach.
Through his passion and commitment to protecting our environment, Alan has built long standing relationships and connections with his community members and Council staff alike.
Alan has assisted with his wealth of knowledge and experience regarding dune regeneration and sand erosion, and is a loyal advocate for the plight of the Hooded Plovers – working closely in alliance with Birdlife Australia and the City of Charles Sturt.
You can find Alan walking the beach most days collecting rubbish and continuing to contribute positively to the community.
Young Citizen of the Year – Coady Wall-Waddell
Coady Wall-Waddell, 26, is an active and dedicated volunteer with the local State Emergency Service (SES) and has responded to more than 150 calls since becoming a member less than two years ago.
During high school at Seaton High, Coady was involved in the “Active 8” Leadership Group which exposed him to tree planting, volunteering at Monarto Zoo, cleaning waterways and CPR training setting him on his path to community service, volunteering and social justice.
Since joining the SES, Coady has completed advanced training in areas including driving under emergency response conditions, storm and water damage, first aid and CPR, land search and communication systems, all of which are nationally accredited programs.
Coady is dedicated to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of his community, he is generous with his time and he seeks out ways that he can assist and provide for those within the City of Charles Sturt and beyond.
Community Event of the Year – West Beach SLSC for the Pink and Blue Swim/Walk.
The Pink and Blue Swim/Walk was established by a group of volunteers at West Beach Surf Life Saving Club and is a unique community event supporting both men and women suffering from breast and prostate cancers.
Full proceeds from the event are paid directly to both cancer beneficiaries and the West Beach SLSC has now raised over $310,000 since the inaugural event in 2012.
The Pink and Blue Swim/Walk not only raises vital funds and awareness for these conditions, but also helps bring families and the local community together in an inspirational way.