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| Alan O’Gorman Endeavour Award 2010 winner Ahmed Kelly |
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| Pride of Work 2010 winner Ivan Peterson with Volunteer of the Year 2010 winners Marisa Pegoraro and Larry Challis |
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| Young Achiever 2010 winner Michael Stott with President Liz Risstrom |
The Eden Valley Cafe was home to the Rotary Club of Whittlesea’s Awards Ceremony recently, which Honoured some community members for the wonderful work they are doing.
A new award, the ‘Alan O’Gorman Award’ was introduced in memory of Alan who tragically died in the Black Saturday fires. Alan is remembered as a very positive person who was up for any challenge and encouraged others to be the same. No matter how daunting a problem, Alan simply looked for ways around it.
It was almost as if the criteria for this award was written for Ahmed Kelly. Ahmed, brought from Iraq by the Children First Foundation, has had both legs amputated and from birth has had arms only above the elbow. But this has not daunted his passion for sport nor his dream to swim in the Para Olympics in London in 2012. Having already broken a world record in breaststroke, he is now training with the Para Olympic squad and will be competing in Germany in June. The Rotary Club was pleased to give Ahmed some financial assistance towards his trip. Ahmed is a truly amazing young man who has achieved so much despite the odds. He now lives permanently in Australia, in the care of Moira Kelly.
The Young Achiever Award was won by Michael Stott who has been doing some amazing work at the Kinglake Ranges Tennis Club. The Club President, Craig Seckold, spoke about the programs Michael is running that are bringing people back to the Club and helping rebuild the sense of community and develop well-being for all age groups in the fire ravaged Kinglake area.
Ivan Peterson, from the City of Whittlesea, was honoured with the ‘Pride of Work Award’. Ivan is on full-time secondment to the bushfire recovery process and has been deeply committed to bringing about improvements, both short-term and long-term for the community as well as individuals. Ivan was commended for the extra yards he travels in his job.
The ‘Volunteer of the Year Award’ was taken out jointly by Marisa Pegoraro and Larry Challis for their incredible efforts and the countless hours dedicated to bushfire recovery work. This work, which started on Black Saturday, continues to this day. Both were honoured for their dedication and commitment to helping others in need. Marisa lost her own house in the fires but still went out of her way to help others who she saw as more in need than herself. Larry is a volunteer member of the Bushfire Recovery Community Committee.
The Awards Night is held every year so if you know of someone who fits the criteria, please take a few moments to nominate them. It is a chance to acknowledge some unsung heroes and to thank them for their caring, dedication and commitment to those in need and the community generally. There are lots of them out there and we would appreciate some help in identifying them. Contact Dawn on 9716 2463 anytime for further information or a nomination form.
