It was one of the best crowds to attend the Macintyre Lions Australia Day award ceremony at Victoria Park in recent years, according to master of ceremonies Duane O’Brien.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Local Lions put on a barbeque breakfast for attendees as Mayor Paul Harmon was joined by Nationals Senator John Williams, Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall and local poet Esther Gardiner in celebrating the efforts of Inverell’s most outstanding citizens.
David and Velta Morgan were among the crowd recognising Citizen of the Year Bob Kneipp, among his fellow awardees, and said it was wonderful to see so many turn out to the morning’s ceremony.
The sentiment was shared by Jazzmen Neff who attended with her family and said it was great to see the community’s outstanding citizens recognised for their efforts.
Inverell High School student and young sportsman KC Edmonds was honoured as Young Citizen of the Year for his numerous achievements at school and in the community.
“KC has inspired not only his team mates, but his peers to be the best they can be and make the most of opportunities they are given,” Mayor Paul Harmon said.
Edmonds said he was very proud to accept the award and humbly pinned his achievement to the value of hard work.
“I really like to work hard,” he said.
Both Inverell Toughen Up Challenge (ITUC) and New England Mutual Charity Fundraiser were jointly honoured at the Community Event of the Year.
The ITUC event brings together all community members with a focus on healthy living, inclusion, teamwork, living life in a drug and alcohol free manner and just get outdoors and having fun, Cr Harmon said.
“This year’s event is going to be quite significant in the fact that we have a challenge between the Mayor’s team and Mr Marshall’s team. I look forward to that challenge,” he said.
New England Mutual annual fundraising event was recognised for drawing awareness and a total of $30,000 over the past decade to a six locally operating community organisations and charities.
The five-figure fundraiser has run in support of the Inverell District Hospital Dementia Unit, McLean Care Auxiliary, Inverell Prostate Cancer Support Group, Inverell Breast Cancer Support Group, Ronald McDonald House and Operation Operating Room.
“The success of last year’s event and previous events speaks volumes for the commitment of supporters and staff at New England Mutual,” Cr Harmon said.