26 January 2022

Heroes of Wagga Wagga crowned in Australia Day eve awards ceremony

| Max O'Driscoll
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Five Wagga Wagga residents have been recognised for their generous contribution to the community at the 2022 Wagga Wagga Australia Day Awards. Photo: File.

Five Wagga Wagga residents have been recognised for their tireless service to the local community at the 2022 Wagga Wagga Australia Day Awards on Tuesday night (25 January).

Winning the Citizen of the Year Award was Deidre Tome who has delivered outstanding service to the Wagga Wagga community over many years and helped coordinate many successful fundraising events.

Events she has been involved in include the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest committee, Legacy Club of Wagga Wagga, Wagga Wagga Bidgee Dragons, and several more Rotary programs.

Awarded Young Citizen of the Year was Chloe Hinds. Ms Hinds was involved in the PCYC toy drive, Forest Hill Fire Brigade and the Kooringal High School’s trivia night.

Her ability to balance all of her volunteering activities alongside her personal, school, and work life, makes her a more than suitable role model for the region’s young people.

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Environmental Citizen of the Year was awarded to the Rotary Club of South Wagga. The group has been instrumental in restoring the Rocky Hill Reserve over the last 18 months through a project that has brought together residents to remove rubbish, manage weeds and plant more than 750 native plants. It’s the first time an organisation has won the award.

The Ted Ryder Sports Memorial Award recipient was Brian Robinson who has been a part of local sport in the region for nearly five decades, most notably through the South Wagga Blues Cricket Club and as an AFL umpire officiating in 436 matches over his tenure.

He has also volunteered as a coach for several school teams over the years.

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The Walk of Honour was awarded to Dick Green. Mr Green is regarded as a local leader in environmental sustainability, as seen through his time working for Greening Australia and his volunteering commitments for many local organisations including alongside local Wiradjuri Elders.

A citizenship ceremony will be held on Australia Day when Wagga Wagga will welcome 18 new Australian citizens who have come from Colombia, India, Iraq, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

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