Australia Day recognition for outstanding citizens

Three outstanding citizens and two community groups were awarded for their involvement in the local community, and 67 residents became Australian citizens during the City of Swan Australia Day citizenship ceremony.

Joint winners in the Over 25 years of age category of the Premier’s Active Citizenship Awards included Patty Williams, of Ellenbrook, and John Mogridge, of Midland.

Lauren Moore of Morangup (Gidgegannup) was awarded in the Under 25 years category, and the Ballajura Youth and Community Venture and the Swan City Youth Service shared the honour for the Community group or event category.

Other finalists in the Premier’s Active Citizenship Awards were:

• Michael Foster – volunteer for Men of the Trees
• Herbert Pearce – volunteer for Men of the Trees
• Lindsay Ward – volunteer for Men of the Trees
• Frederick Shelley – volunteer for Men of the Trees
• Sue Hurt – Henley Brook
• Michelle Weppner – Ballajura
• Isobel Pollinelli – Kiara
• Darcy Green – Morangup (Gidgegannup)

“John Mogridge, Patty Williams, Lauren Moore, the Ballajura Youth and Community Venture and the Swan City Youth Service fill much-valued roles in our community, and act as an inspiration for everyone in the City of Swan,” City of Swan Mayor Charlie Gregorini said.

“Many vital services and facilities in the City of Swan rely daily on volunteer or community efforts and it is essential for the wellbeing of each of us to be involved in our community wherever possible. By spending more time together as a community, we will become a stronger community.”

Migrants from across the globe took up Australian citizenship at the ceremony, including residents from England, the Netherlands, Namibia, Malaysia and South Africa.

“Becoming an Australian citizen is a life-changing part of these people’s lives and it’s very exciting to be a part of that,” Cr Gregorini said.

“I wish each of them the very best in their new live as Australian citizens.”

The ceremony was held at the Midland Town Hall on Friday, January 26.

Over-25 winners:
John Mogridge (Midland)
John Mogridge has been volunteering for the City of Swan’s REAL (Recreation, Education, Arts and Life skills) program for the past 18 months. John believes in the program’s aim of helping at-risk youth and currently works as an Aboriginal Islander Education Officer at Governor Stirling High School.

Demonstrating a passion for his work, John set up and now coordinates four junior basketball teams for local Indigenous boys struggling to commit to school. Those teams now compete as part of the Swan Park Leisure Centre’s basketball competition, and John hopes soon to enter a girls’ team.

John has also written an application for funding, on behalf of an Aboriginal men’s group, to run a cultural and training camp for the boys in early 2007, in the lead up to the National Indigenous Basketball Carnival to be held in Perth in August.

Patricia (Patty) Williams (Ellenbrook)
When Patricia Williams moved to Ellenbrook, she gave away the talent school she ran for seventeen years and all the costumes and props with it.  But Patricia brought with her a vast array of knowledge and experience for teaching children how to perform on stage.

It did not take long for Patricia to begin teaching a small group of Ellenbrook teens the art of song and dance for stage. Patricia’s flourishing school has now taught more than three hundred girls and boys and has coordinated performances at the Channel Seven Christmas Pageant, the RSL Dawn Service, the Royal Agricultural Show and Carols by Candlelight. Patricia also organised for a terminally-ill four-year-old child to meet Fat Cat.

Patricia has worked on the Woodlake Out of School Care committee for many years and she was a member of the Ellenbrook Cultural Foundation board.

Under-25 winner:
Lauren Moore (Morangup/Gidgegannup)
Lauren Moore has been a member of the Gidgegannup Basketball Club for more than six years. For the past three, Lauren has managed her own team and gained a well-earned reputation for organising players and bringing new players to the club to provide opportunities for them.

When Lauren heard there was an under-10 girl’s team who were unable to play without a coach, she volunteered to coach them. She has been coaching this team for two years and in that time has encouraged the girls to work hard at developing their skills.

For her efforts and commitment to the needs of young players, Lauren received the Youth Achievement Award from the Gidgegannup Basketball Club.

Community Group/Event winners:
Ballajura Youth and Community Venture
The Ballajura Youth Community Venture was incorporated in October 2000 and has since actively pursued its aims for the community, which include supporting and advocating for opportunities and services for young people.

The group, primarily comprising local residents, run the Dungeon Youth Centre and have successfully undertaken a list of projects, including funding a youth and family worker, developing the Ballajura Crime Guard and lobbying for an upgrade to the Ballajura Skate Park.

The Ballajura Youth Community Venture has previously been awarded the National Bank Community Initiative Award for its work in developing the Dungeon Youth Centre.

Swan City Youth Service
The Swan City Youth Service began in 1985, with a desk and a chair under the stairs at the old City of Swan offices on Great Northern Highway. Despite humble beginnings, the service now supports young people with a wide variety of programs and services. 

The Swan City Youth Service assists young people with career development, education, urban art projects, substance abuse treatment, martial arts and dance training.

The group have also been recognised for their efforts, winning both the Hanson Swan Business Award for Youth Training in 2005 and Hanson Swan Business Graeme Harris Award in 2006. 

News Article Date: 27/1/2007

© City of Swan 2000-2010