Club of Woodend
FEBRUARY 2019 Volume 23 // Issue 1 FIRST PUBLISHED 1997
DISTRIBUTING 3750 FREE COPIES ACROSS WOODEND’S POSTAL DISTRICT
Celebrating Australia Day in the Macedon Ranges Macedon Ranges 2019 Arts Ambassador
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Joint winners of the Young Citizen of the Year Award: Jessica Cockerill-Wright (L) and Shaylyn Blyth (R), with Mary-Anne Thomas, MP.
Not one, but two worthy recipients!
Woodend’s Shaylyn Blyth and Kyneton’s Jessica CockerillWright are joint recipients of Young Citizen of the Year Awards this Australia Day in the ceremony at Kyneton. Both young women were worthy recipients, with their community work a great example of how young people can actively contribute and have a positive impact on their local and wider community. Shaylyn has been working with Cobaw Community Health on a variety of projects aimed at improving the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people, including healthcare videos and podcasts. She has been involved with Live4Life and was a founding member of her Pride Crew at Gisborne Secondary College, and a Youth Ambassador for the local shire, among other initiatives. Change can start small, where young people see a need, explains Shaylyn: “Young people can create change in any way they can - big or small. Speaking up about your concerns to those it concerns as well as those who can help you along the way, whether through social media or Facebook or through a volunteering group, it is a great start. Start a group at school, put up encouraging posters – any change is still change, no matter how small.” Hailing from Kyneton, Jessica was the first woman in Kyneton CFA to be elected to the position of Lieutenant in the group’s 134 year history. She promotes safety in the community widely, at schools and events and is involved with junior CFA members. She has also been involved in community leadership and organising a fundraiser for drought relief. The New Woodend Star congratulates all Australia Day Award recipients across the shire.
inner of the 2019 Arts Ambassador Award, Dr Jacqueline Ogeil, says that the award recognises not only her own endeavours but the efforts and support of the entire Woodend Winter Arts Festival Committee and the hard-working volunteers. “It’s a shared award – we all work so hard on this yearly event – and there’s not a day that goes by where we’re not working on something to do with the upcoming Festival events,” says Jacky. The Award is the third one for the organisation in the past twelve months, with two awards received last September for Tourism & Events and Non-Profit Organisation at the Macedon Ranges Business Awards. “We’re grateful for the support and recognition that the awards generate. Events are hard work but they have such an important impact on the local community: bringing arts and culture, gathering people together, encouraging ideas and creating a community buzz. Whatever
areas of community interest you, I heartily encourage individuals to take time to put their ideas into action in a community group. We live in a region where many people in many groups make a difference and it’s one of the reasons that our town and region is the warm and friendly community we experience today.” The Woodend Winter Arts Festival committee is well into the planning and preparation stage for WWAF 2019 (7–10 June). Program lineup will be announced late March with tickets onsale soon after.
SUBMITTED BY WOODEND WINTER ARTS FESTIVAL
Citizen of the Year 2019 The Macedon Ranges Citizen of the Year for 2019 is Robert Renton. Since 2003, Robert has worked tirelessly as a pension and welfare officer at the Kyneton RSL. Robert is a Vietnam veteran with a strong passion to help fellow veterans and war widows from our community. Robert draws on past experience to help other service personnel and their families navigate available welfare services, and goes above and beyond what is required to ensure that clients’ needs are met. See page 9 for a photo.