Those quiet achievers

Quiet achievers throughout the Illawarra region were acknowledged for their voluntary contributions towards helping create a healthier, more caring community at the 17th annual Healthy Cities Illawarra award presentations on Tuesday June 27 at the City Beach Function Centre in Wollongong.

Healthy Cities Illawarra General Manager Frank Wallner announced the presentation of 54 awards to individuals, community groups and other organizations in recognition of their hard work and important contributions in creating a Healthy City.

These are people and groups who work not for reward or recognition, but because they want to make a difference to the lives and well being of people in the Illawarra region, Mr Wallner said.

These awards are a way of showing our appreciation for their efforts.

A number of people from the local Shellharbour area were recipients of an award including Craig Swaney for his work in organising weekly barbeques and co-producing the Good Neighbour Cookbook and Joe Zahra for his community service including forming the Shellharbour Garden Club, co-producing the Good Neighbour Cookbook with Craig and helping establish the Mens Shed in Shellharbour.

The Illawarra Institute of TAFE was acknowledged for setting a benchmark in ecologically sustainable design with the new Library and Information Services building at the Shellharbour TAFE campus and the NSW Fire Service Blitz Restoration Group of Curly Wilson, Claude Harris, norm Morgan, Michael Wilson, Steve Rainey, Terry Quinn, Paul Townsend and Hans Hornig were awarded for their tireless efforts in restoring an old, rusting bush fire brigade truck to form part of Clearys Vintage Vehicle Museum.

Shirley Mitchell, Alison Tonkin, Maree McLean and Marie Bowman received an award for organising a fund raising benefit night for the children of friend and cancer victim Lenka Kundakcic and colleen Hill, Belinda Molloy and Debbie Cleary were recognised for their fundraising efforts to purchase a bladder scanner for Shellharbour Hospital.

Five year old Zachariah Lenartowicz-Garcia was hailed as inspirational for his Great Australian Bite? fund raising barbeque for diabetes awareness and research, Helga Tarne was awarded for her service in the maintenance and coordination of the Para Meadows Ex-Students Association and Shellharbour Public Schools Ministry of Finance students received recognition for their fund raising for Angel Flight and Kids with Cancer.

It is important, as we strive to create a Healthy City in all sorts of ways, that we pause long enough to appreciate how the accumulated community efforts of these people and groups are helping to create a healthier, more caring place for us all to live in, Mr Wallner said.