Published on Sunday, 26 January 2020 at 11:46:04 AM
Albany is singing the praises of local musical entrepreneur Sue Findlay after she won the 2020 Australia Day Citizen of the Year award for her dedication to fostering local music talent.
As leader of Albany City Wind Ensemble, she has grown the group and supported musicians of all ages, helping them harness their passion and find their groove.
She has also created the About FACE youth choir for 14 to 30 year olds with a passion for song, and they will be representing Australia at the International Youth Music Festival in Bratislava.
Sue won’t be dropping her tempo this year either, coordinating hundreds of performers as director of Albany Entertainment Centre’s 10th Anniversary Gala Variety Concert in December, reprising the role she played at the gala opening of the entertainment centre in 2010.
Samuel Reeves is Albany’s Young Citizen of the Year for his commitment to the State Emergency Service, Southern Edge Arts, Great Southern Home Education Network and as a coach and mentor at Albany PCYC.
He also recently completed the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, which challenges young people to dream big and is the first time a school-based participant has received the award since 2012.
Senior Citizens of the Year Max and Marianne Chester have rescued 1,500 bales of clothing from going to landfill over the past six years, sending them to people in need overseas via the Adventist Disaster Relief Association.
Their charity work has expanded and is now coordinated from Fossicker’s thanks to a partnership with the City of Albany and E’Co where clothes are packed and stored before being transported to Perth for shipping.
The NAIDOC Week Organising Committee have won the Active Citizenship Community Group or Event Award for taking a low-key celebration with the Noongar community to a week-long program of events for the whole community.
Mayor of Albany Dennis Wellington congratulated the winners and thanked the impressive group of finalists for their contributions to Albany.
“Every finalist in this year’s awards should be incredibly proud of their achievements and what they have given back to the community,” Mayor Wellington said.
Albany also welcomed 23 new citizens.
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