The 2024 Community Award winners have officially been announced at an event in Alexandra on Saturday, May 25.
Out of the 39 nominations received, four nominees were presented Community Awards across four categories: Volunteer of the Year, Young Volunteer of the Year, Senior Volunteer of the Year, and Community Group or Initiative of the Year.
Darrly King received the Volunteer of the Year award, for his active volunteering spanning several years. A long-standing Rotarian and President of the Murrindindi-Woodbourne Community Hub, Mr King is also a member of the Murrindindi CFA and their Occupational Health & Safety Officer.
Notably, Mr King has raised money for the Yea Community Cancer Charity, hosting the annual event Under the Oaks at his home.
Julie Lynch received the Senior Volunteer of the Year award, for her lifetime of community service. Beginning with her teaching career almost 50 years ago, Ms Lynch’s commitment to volunteering has only grown, seeing her take on the role of Youth Service Director at the Rotary Club of Yea and President of the Rotary Club of Yea between 2011-12.
Ms Lynch has also inspired the annual Cycle Dindi and implemented Rotary’s May Is Bowel Scan Month program which saw Bowel Scan kits provided through the local Yea Pharmacy.
She regularly attends working bees as part of the committee of management for Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre, and often volunteers at the Visitor Information Centre to host tours through the Wetlands and historical walks.
A regular volunteer at the second-hand bookshop, the Yea Community Garden, the Yea Show, and the Yea Football and Netball Club, Ms Lynch is also a volunteer teacher of English as a Foreign Language to students at Seymour TAFE.
Alexis Holder received the Young Volunteer of the Year for her volunteering with the Kinglake West CFA and the Kinglake Boomerang Bags project. Ms Holder has also been involved in the running of the Kinglake CWA cake stalls and delivery of promotional material for the Kinglake Neighbourhood House.
Boomerang Bags received the Community Group or Initiative of the Year award, for their efforts to address the issues of waste, recycling, and landfill.
Founded in 2017, the aim of the Kinglake project is to prevent fabric from going to landfill by instead recycling the material into reusable shopping bags, aptly called Boomerang Bags.
There are now two groups working together to create the bags, with a new location recently founded in Whittlesea.
More than 150 Boomerang Bags are produced each week, with over 10,000 library and produce bags made since its launch. The group also produces dog beds that they provide to the Kinglake Veterinary Clinic.
The Boomerang Bag group has also partnered with Kinglake CWA to make mastectomy pillows for patients who have undergone recent surgery, and have collaborated with Middle Kinglake Primary to produce sustainable bunting for use in party hire packs and Christmas decorations.
In a statement, the Murrindindi Shire thanked all who attended, congratulating nominees for their efforts in giving back to the community.
“The awards provide us an opportunity to recognise and celebrate individuals and community groups for their volunteering contribution and commitment to making our Shire such a great place to live work and play,” they said.
