By Ashok Verma
Young Citizen of the Year
Joint winners Sam Quigg and Max Chetcuti
SAM Quigg and Max Chetcuti last year answered a call for duty for a cause close to heart. They made a spirited successful effort to ensure the 2025 Vietnam Veterans Day Seymour service remains a regular and successful event, without any hitch.
For their great contribution to a valued community event, Sam and Max have been declared the joint winners of Mitchell Shire Council’s Young Citizen of the Year award.
In 2024, the Vietnam Veterans in Seymour believed they had conducted their final Vietnam Veterans Day service. With very few people attending the service, and most veterans entering their 80s, they felt they no longer had the capacity to continue with the service.
But as the 2025 service approached, they contacted Sam’s mum Kelly Quigg, defence mentor at Seymour College, to see if the students would like to take over the running of the service. Kelly became the driving force to ensure the service continues.
Impressed by the students’ involvement, Greatest Generation Foundation in the US has invited Kelly, six students, including Sam and Max, to attend a 14-day trip before April to Vietnam.
Sam Quigg
Asked why he lent a hand for the service, Sam said: “I enjoy going down to Seymour RSL each Friday and talking to the veterans. I have same interest as some of them, so we go down, and they told me about some of their stories, and I wanted to help.”
Sam’s stepfather Peter Akkersdyk works for the Army, and his mother, Kelly, is defence mentor at Seymour College who played a key role in organising last year’s service.
Sam, now in Year 11 at the college, said he, his mum and stepfather are committed to ensure the service continues each year.
Max Chetcuti
Max, now working as a carpentry apprentice after passing Year 12 last year, said he is proud of his work for the service, and now “getting an Australian Day award just feels very special.”
He said because of family connection (his father Wayne is in the Army) he played a role in the service “to pay my respect and to honour for like what they have done.”
He said he was committed to the service continuing. “Even if I can’t do it, I’ll go to the school and talk to the new people running it, and help them as much as I can, give them tips, why it’s so important and like just how to run it all. I will be there to help.”
About the coming trip to Vietnam, Max said he was very surprised, but very greatful.
