HASTINGS residents are being encouraged to turn out in force on Saturday evening to applaud this year’s Citizen of the Year and Community Group of the Year nominees and overall award winners.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has received a number of nominations across four different categories, with the winners to be announced at a special ceremony commencing at 6pm on the Town Green.
The categories include Young Citizen of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Senior Citizen of the Year and Community Group of the Year.
Nominees for Young Citizen of the Year include Aaron Patton, Rhys Boreham, Ahlia Westaway-Griffiths and Jack Begbie, all of Port Macquarie, and Taylor Barton of Lake Cathie.
Nominated for Citizen of the Year were Roselee Figgins and Ally Costanzo of Port Macquarie, Dr Peter Mayne of Laurieton and Marie Patton of Telegraph Point.
Competing for the honour of Senior Citizen of the Year will be Ronald Turnbull of Wauchope, Laurie Barber of Port Macquarie and Viv Watts of Pembrooke.
Groups in the running for title of Community Group of the Year include the Hastings Youth Advisory Council, the Port Macquarie Triathlon Local Organising Committee, Special Olympics Mid North Coast, the Port Macquarie Lions Club and the iKew Visitor Information and Community Hub.
Mayor Peter Besseling said all the nominees had contributed to the community in one way or another and deserved recognition regardless of whether or not they took out the major award in their respective category.
“Communities such as ours depend very much on the hard work and dedication of volunteers and we need to make the most of every opportunity to thank those people for their efforts and to recognise the difference they make to the Port Macquarie-Hastings on a day to day basis,” Cr Besseling said.
“This is one of those opportunities.”
