Media Release Tuesday, 9Th January 2007

City of Ryde Media Release Tuesday, 9th January 2007. 2007 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AND YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR Winners of the City of Ryde Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year will be announced at an Australia Day Ceremony on Friday, 26 January 2007. The Awards recognise outstanding service by individuals who contribute to the quality of life and wellbeing of the community of Ryde, or to those who excel in their chosen field. “It is always a challenge to single out one individual for special recognition when there are so many unsung heroes in our community. “The quality of the nominees and the broad diversity of their achievements made this year’s selection particularly difficulty. “One thing is clear, however, and that is that compassion and community spirit is thriving in the City of Ryde,” the Mayor concluded. The Selection Panel for 2007 Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year comprised the Mayor - Cr. Ivan Petch, the Deputy Mayor - Cr. Gabrielle O’Donnell, Cr. Connie Netterfield, Cr. Terry Ryan and representing the General Manager (Michael Whittaker), Mr. Derek McCarthy – Manager community Relations and Events. Also taking part in the special Australia Day Ceremony will be 50 new Australian Citizens, all local residents representing 12* countries, who will receive their Australian Citizenship Certificate on our national day. *India, New Zealand, Peoples Republic of China, Republic of South Africa, Hong Kong, Republic of south Korea, Sri Lanka, Slovakia, Pakistan, Mongolia, Russian Federation. Australia Day Awards Ceremony Friday, 26 January 2006. Civic Centre, Devlin Street, Ryde. 2.00 – 4.00 pm o 0 o CITY OF RYDE YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES Mitchell Leggo Mitchell Leggo is a highly motivated young man with a heightened sense of civic and social responsibility. His commitment to his school – Epping Boys’ High - and the broader community are demonstrated through three formal roles – Leader of the 1st Brush Park Scout Group (Venturer Unit), Coordinator of the Epping Boys’ High Unit of Steamwatch (a water environmental watching group) and Senior Prefect of Epping Boys’ High. He is a mentor of younger students, a highly organised coordinator and fundraiser. His level of community involvement is significant and always conducted in a humble and unobtrusive manner. Kathy Molla-Abbasi Kathy recently joined the Ryde Youth Council on a voluntary basis, offering her assistance to advise Council on youth issues and to help at events and on various programs. As a full time secondary school student, Kathy has given her time generously to help improve the lives of others in the community. She has also extended her voluntary work to “Just Enough Faith” – helping to feed the homeless, and to the School Social Justice program for residents at Crowle Industries North Ryde. Kathy has also undertaken work experience at the World League for the Protection of Animals. CITY OF RYDE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES Mr Nick Xakis Nick Xakis is well known to the young people of the Estia Foundation and can always be relied upon to go that ‘extra mile’. For nearly ten years he has provided unwavering volunteer support to these young adults with intellectual and physical disabilities by providing friendship, transport and other invaluable assistance. He takes client on outings, prepares BBQs, assists in the weekly shopping and mows laws at the respite facility. At Estias’ fundraising events Nick is always there to help in anyway he can from collecting prizes for the annual dinner, helping at the Christmas parties and other recreational activities that require assistance in pushing wheelchairs. Ms Akrevi Papfraim Akrevi Papafraim’s voluntary services stretch back 20 years and she is a founding member of the Ladies Auxiliary of St. Andres Greek Orthodox Church in Gladesville. Her roles have included distributing philanthropic aid to people in need in the Ryde community and has organised cultural Greek dancing for young people. She is always the first person to volunteer for any task, in particular preparations for Greek Easter - one of the most important events on the Greek Orthodox calendar. For the past five years Akrevi has also helped people in need as a volunteer at St. Basils Nursing Home. Mr. Craig Stephens Through his dedicated commitment to his community Craig Stephens, with wife Danni, have provided wide ranging support to people in the community of Ryde. In particular his work with Project No. 47 Ivanhoe Place, a joint Salvation Army and Department of Housing initiative, provides counselling, educational & holiday programs, transport, recreational services and a meeting place to a wide range of people in the community. Craig’s other commitments include Chairperson of Ryde Community Aid Drug Action team, Member of the Police Accountability Community Team and works with Youth Services at Ryde Secondary College and the Ryde CDAT Drug and Alcohol Schools Projects. Mr Rolf Clapham Rolf has a long history of community involvement through lobby groups and district associations such as Concerned Residents for Traffic Calming and is Chairman of the Coalition Against Public Overdevelopment or CAPO. Rolf’s involvement is a result of his passion for the district and his concerns relating to Ryde’s environment, the district’s amenities, and community safety, especially children’s traffic safety, and the general impact development has on Ryde in terms of key infrastructures such as schools and road. His work with CAPO, calling on the government to consider common-sense development for the Ryde Rehabilitation Hospital Site, saw the group awarded the NSW Greens Award for the best community Campaign of 2006. Mr Andrew Hill Andrew is Ryde’s leading sports coach and through his expertise and knowledge in sport he has used his gifts to make a difference to many people in the community, particularly through his voluntary works with disadvantaged children, the aged and the disabled. His passion to fight against obesity by getting children active and motivated has been demonstrated over several decades by providing free lunchtime tennis and multi sports games to local schools and other mentoring opportunities. In 2004 every primary school child in Ryde was able to hold the Athens Olympic Torch thanks to Andrew’s efforts and his SportsStar characters is well known at local events. Andrew’s outstanding community fund raising work has also been acknowledged by both the Australian Olympic Committee and the Paralympics organisation. Helen McCosker Helen McCosker has served the community as a volunteer Art Tutor at Leisure Learning (LL) for over twenty at both Eastwood and West Ryde. She is held in high regard by both her students and other members of the community. As an inspiring and skilled tutor, Helen’s art classes are always packed with enthusiastic students whose works were exhibited at the recent Watch House Gallery in Balmain. Helen trained at Julian Aston School of Art in the early 80’s and from that grounding has progressed to not only encourage others to expresses themselves through art, but to produce her own wonderful works of art including a children’s book titled ‘The Night Fish’. Helen has won many prestigious art prizes such as the Cheltenham Girls High School Art Award 2006 and recently held an exhibition at Newtown’s Wilson St Gallery. Derek Knox In January 2006 Derek Knox established CatRescue an animal welfare charity dedicated to the rescue, care and rehoming of abandoned and neglected cats and kittens. In the past 12 months he and partner Kelly Lachman have rescued over 600 cats and kittens from pounds, drains, garbage bins and alley ways Through the catrescue.com.au website he has set up a huge network of volunteers who also give their time and energy willingly to support the charity. While holding down a demanding full time job, he organises funds, does the hands on rescue and caring for animals but has made incredible steps to help less fortunate members the community. His work was recently recognised by local council when his campaign for the mandatory de-sexing of cats was passed at the Local Government Conference. Rosemary Grady Rosemary has worked tirelessly in many roles for the Marian Hostel since 1979. She is currently one of a small contingent of bus drivers who convey elderly and frail aged clients to a variety of venues providing them with regular meals and with social interaction. Always going that extra mile, Rosemary not only collects and delivers clients but assists in venue and food preparation, cleaning up and with activities such as ‘Bingo’. Rosemary’s is often called upon to supervise new drivers to ensure they, and their skills are suitable for the task. Rosemary is well known and immensely popular both with her clients and management due her caring nature, her energy, enthusiasm and practicality and her ability to interact warmly and meaningfully with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Ends Media contact: Lee Kirkland, City of Ryde, T 9952 8083, M 0434 306 444 City of Ryde Media Release Tuesday, 9th January 2007. DAVID HALL, OAM Australia Day Ambassador for the City of Ryde One of Australia’s greatest athletes, David Hall, OAM, International Tennis Federation’s Wheelchair World Champion on six occasions and Australian Paralympic Gold Medalist, is this year’s City of Ryde Australia Day Ambassador. “We are honoured that David has accepted the role of Ambassador of this year’s Australia Day celebrations,” said Derek McCarthy, Manager Community Relations and Events for the City of Ryde. “He is an extraordinary sportsman and an outstanding role model. For the past decade, David has dominated international wheelchair tennis recording 18 Super Series (Grand Slam) titles, the most by any player in the history of Wheelchair Tennis and was the first Australian to with a Paralympic Gold Medal.” David will give his Australia Day address at the official ceremony at Ryde Civic Hall on Friday 26 January 2007 at 2.00 pm.

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