Chris Richter was stunned to be awarded Inverell’s Citizen of the Year Award at the town’s Australia Day Service at Victoria Park on Friday, January 26.
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“My wife’s not meant to keep secrets from me,” he joked.
An IT consultant and musician, Mr Richter was honoured for his many years fostering young talent in Inverell, including his involvement with the Joeys Oz Music Tour, which is set bring several local musicians to Germany later this year.
“I certainly didn’t imagine getting anything like this,” he said, thanking his wife Sharon, his family and the Inverell community for their support.
With a beaming grin, former Inverell High School student Amber Dennis was thrilled to be named the Young Citizen of the Year.
“At just the age of 19 (she’s) given an incredible amount back to her community and left an indelible mark on her high school studies,” mayor Paul Harmon said.
Amber, who has cerebral palsy, raised $20,000 for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance last year by selling clothing of her own design.
Inverell Swimming Club were surprised but pleased to receive recognition for their celebration of the group’s 100th anniversary last year, awarded the Event of the Year.
“I don’t think the committee ever expected anything other than the joy of holding the event and the thrill of getting all those people together again,” Pam Weste said.
“I guess this is just an extra extension to that and an unexpected honour.”
Aunty Esther Gardiner welcomed attendees to Kamilaroi country and said “I hope that we can unite as one people in our beautiful land Australia”. She recited her poem Australia My Country, which celebrated the unique landscape we live in.
Senator John ‘Wacka’ Williams reminded locals how fortunate they are to be Australian, telling the story of a friend of his who lost her father to the regime of Pol Pot in Cambodia.
“Sylvie and her six brothers and sisters and her mother, in their bare feet, walked from Cambodia to Bancock,” he said.
“Two million people were killed by Pol Pot in Cambodia. And when Sylvie told me the story, I thought ‘I’m really glad I grew up in Australia.’”
Member for the Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall said Australia Day was his favourite time of year.
“It is our nation’s day of celebration, whether you were born here or not, whether you are part of the Aboriginal community or not, whether you’re young or old, or whatever your religion or race,” he said.
“It is a day when we can all join together and celebrate the things that unite us and the things that we’re proud of and how damn lucky we are to actually live, work and be free in this country.”
Mr Marshall encouraged locals to remember how lucky they are and “how what unites us in this country is always, always much stronger than those things that could potentially divide us.” He recited Rupert McCall’s patriotic poem Green and Gold Malaria.
The crowd cheered wholeheartedly for Alan Mather, who received an Order of Australia medal on Thursday night.
Semi-retired paramedic Paul Featherstone talked about the hard lessons he’d learnt working to save lives during some of Australia’s biggest tragedies and natural disasters.
“I believe adversity builds character,” he said.
He spoke about the hope he found in dark moments such as the Bali bombings and Granville rail crash.
“Stick by each other, share each other’s needs. We are all equal, we are all human beings. At the end of the day, it’s all about people,” he said.
Danthonia Youth Choir and the Inverell Pipe Band gave musical performances, and Jasmine Richter sang the national anthem as the Inverell Scouts raised the flags along with Ms Gardiner and Kelvin Brown.