Volunteers make a significant contribution to community life in Latrobe City and Mayor Cr Sharon Gibson is proud of them.
She praises their achievements and dedication to Latrobe City in her celebratory series, Mayor’s Community Champion.
The Mayor's Community Champion Stories feature in Council’s Noticeboard in The Express every second week , as well as here.
Community Champions
The Latrobe community is proud to be part of Australia every day of the year and even more so on Australia Day.
Celebrations are held in some towns across the City on this day, commemorating the many reasons why Australia is an ideal place to call home.
“Behind these events are dedicated groups of volunteers who share such a passion for their communities,” Latrobe City Council Mayor, Cr Sharon Gibson said.
“With community events being held in Boolarra, Churchill, Morwell, Toongabbie and Yinnar, there are plenty of events for the community to take part in.”
Unfortunately events at Moe, Traralgon and Yallourn North have been cancelled this year, as it was difficult for the community volunteers to manage the COVIDSafe requirements set out by the State Government.
The Toongabbie event will be run by the Wellington Latrobe Lions Club (pictured) and club member Christina Gardner is looking forward to this occasion.
“This is a very important day on our town’s event calendar and where we will announce our Toongabbie citizen of the year, presented by a special guest from Latrobe City Council,” she said.
“We could have up to 150 people attending and they will celebrate how wonderful it is to live in Toongabbie and our great country Australia.
“There will also be a special breakfast, damper will be made and scouts will raise the Australian flag.”
For the full list of Australia Day events across Latrobe City, go to Council’s website:
View more information at www.latrobe.vic.gov.au/AustraliaDay
A passionate group of volunteers are promoting beauty in the heart of Moe.
They are the members of the Edward Hunter Heritage Bush Reserve Committee of Management. The reserve is 58ha of tranquil bushland with an abundance of native flora and fauna.
The committee held a calendar competition to encourage Moe and Newborough children to explore the reserve.
Children were invited to enter photographs taken at the reserve and artworks depicting reserve scenes. Forty photos and 12 artworks feature in the calendar.
“Many people do not realise what a treasure we have in our own backyard,” Latrobe City Council Mayor Cr Sharon Gibson said.
“Edward Hunter Heritage Bush Reserve is one of the largest patches of native remnant vegetation in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges in the Latrobe Valley.
“To see what our youth have photographed and drawn is amazing.”
Forty children entered the competition, submitting 200 photos and 20 works of art.
“We were impressed by the number of the entries and the quality of the entries too,” calendar coordinator Jane Sultana said.
The artwork winner was Charli de van der Schueren, age 15, with her painting Lone Walks of the boardwalks and reservoir.
Runners-up were: Emily Liang, 17, for her sketch of a Golden Whistler bird and Kylah Richards, 10, for her painting of the reserve including a King Parrot.
The photography winner was Jake Keily, age 11, with a portrait titled Two Trees.
Runners-up were: Jackson Harding, 17, for his image of fungi and Izzy Eaton, 15, for her photograph of a camouflaged Fairy Wren.
The winners were announced by Cr Gibson during an online calendar launch on 29 November.
The calendar is free thanks to a $3500 grant from Energy Australia and is available at Moe Library and select Moe businesses.
The main car park to the Edward Hunter reserve is at Coalville Road, Moe.
The ladies of Querencia retirement village at Moe may be retired, but they’re not retiring from giving to their treasured community.
The caring women have posed for a fun-filled calendar for 2021 that is now being sold to raise money for projects to be overseen by the Moe Lions Club.
With 500 calendars for sale at $10 each – and all funds going to local projects – that’s a potential donation of $5000.
That’s an act that drew the admiration of Latrobe City Council Mayor, Cr Sharon Gibson.
“These ladies are showing that age is no barrier to helping the community,” she said.
“These ladies have a compassion that has not diminished over the years. They’re still thinking of others as this calendar is raising money for locals, such as the Lions club.
“I hope that at their age I’m still going strong and helping the community. This is an example as to why our older citizens should be treasured.”
In the calendar, the ladies appear in creative poses, costumes and settings around the village, some reflective of the month their photo illustrates.
There is a lady with Easter eggs for that holy event, a lady in army camouflage for ANZAC Day and four women wearing football gear for the AFL grand final in September.
Calendar buyers will also find a bathing beauty from 1918, Cinderella and even a cabaret lady - plus a few surprises.
“We just did it for a bit of a laugh and fun, and to raise money for charity because there are a lot of people out there who are struggling. Anything we can do to help is a good thing,” said Bev Lethborg, one of the ladies behind the calendar.
The calendars are available from Querencia retirement village at 6-8 Mena Street, Moe, and at The Coffee Pod in Moe.
Carols by Candlelight events will bring evenings of festive magic to Latrobe City via the internet and radio this weekend.
Instead of the usual live performances, due to restrictions on gathering sizes because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Moe and Traralgon carols will be broadcast.
“I thank these community groups for being able to still bring joy to our community,” Latrobe City Council Mayor, Cr Sharon Gibson said.
“Even though the carols can’t be held in person this year, COVID has seen groups get creative. They have risen to the challenge to ensure that we can still have carols and celebrate.”
The 2020 Moe Community Christmas Carols will be live streamed on YouTube and Facebook this Friday 18 December, 7pm-8.30pm.
To watch the carols, go to the ‘Moe Community Christmas Carols’ Facebook event page.
The concert will feature prominent local artists who will present an eclectic mix of well-known Christmas carols and songs.
Lauren Burns will feature with a beautiful Spanish Lullaby carol. Tamworth award-winning Destiny Band Oz will present a new Christmas song.
Kara Smith, Gavin Chatelier, Roberta Fox and young aspiring talent Lochlan Berryman Lambeth will bring joy, hope and relief through their music.
Father Daniel Szwec will offer a Christmas greeting and there will be opportunities for the audience to win prizes. Santa will help with prize-giving.
The program will be brought together under the direction of 3GG Radio presenter Andrew Deaks.
The Traralgon event will see traditional carols and entertainment live streamed and broadcasted via Facebook and radio stations TRFM and GOLD 1242.
The concert will be live at 7pm, Sunday 20 December.
Christmas songs will be performed by Annelise Answerth, Phoebe Trinidad, Liam Charleston, Ashlea Vanyai, Julianne Bremner, Tessa and Thomas Libreri, Sammie Grumley and Taylah Trew.
Carols co-ordinator Kevin Taylor, of the Traralgon Lions Club, said the club was proud to present the carols as part of a community organising group.
“Rather than cancelling the carols, we thought the community would be looking for something to cheer them up before Christmas and so we decided to broadcast the carols live,” he said.
“People will be able to sit back, have a picnic in their backyard, and relax and watch the carols.”
Mr Taylor thanked Latrobe City Council for being one of the major sponsors of the event, along with AGL, TRFM and GOLD 1242.
The carols will be filmed behind closed doors at the Latrobe Performing Arts Centre.
To watch, go to the ‘Traralgon Carols by Candlelight’ Facebook page or listen to TRFM (99.5FM or 99.9FM) and GOLD 1242 (1242AM).
