CITIZENSHIP AWARDS
Lane Cove says thank you… Giving up their own time, year after year, Council’s Citizenship Awards recognise and thank community members for the contribution that they make, often in an unpaid capacity. This year’s Citizenship Awards were held in the lead up to National Volunteering Week, an annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our volunteers. There were 24 recipients across 11 categories who were presented with an award at the event held on May 2nd.
“For me, volunteering is a natural part of being involved with the local community and learning more about one’s own interests and hobbies. It is also a means of maintaining what others thought important enough to begin in the first place…it is what makes a neighbourhood a community”. CHRISTINE BUTTERS 2017 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
4 I THE VILLAGE OBSERVER I NO. 262 I MAY 2017
CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
Christine Butters Lane Cove’s 2017 Citizen of the Year, Christine Butters, is a very deserving winner and has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to the community life of Lane Cove. With a long affiliation with St Andrew’s Uniting Church at Longueville, Christine taught Sunday School there at various stages from the 1960’s through to 2003. She has been the Secretary of the congregation since 1990; has been an Elder of the Church and Church Council member since 2006; and is currently the Church Council Secretary. She is also one of four Church leaders involved in organising twiceweekly activities for older residents called Time4U, which includes monthly pizza and film nights. Christine has been involved with Lane Cove Music Club since 1984, when she joined the Committee as Treasurer. In 2001 she became President, a position she still holds 16 years later. Also in 2001, Christine and her siblings established the Alf and Pearl Pollard Awards in memory of their parents. This Award is for Performance Excellence for Young Musicians aged 11 – 15 years. Christine is currently Deputy President of the Federated Music Clubs of Australia following four years as President from 2012 – 2016. In addition to a variety of other roles on pre-school committees, school committees, Meals on Wheels and as Director of Cove Craft from 1980 – 1990, Christine has been an active member of the Longueville Tennis Club since 1960, a Committee Member since 1991 and is currently Junior Vice President.
HONORARY LANE COVE CITIZEN
Bill Wallace
Bill Wallace has been Lane Cove’s Town Crier for 17 years. Travelling from the Central Coast for each visit, Bill is always willing to lend his voice and charm to our many official events. OUTSTANDING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Spotted Orchid
Spotted Orchid started in Lane Cove just over two years ago. The owner, Rita, is passionate about her floral designs and takes a great interest in individual customers. Her care and attention to detail makes her clients come back time and again and Rita’s love for a chat helps her discover extra details about the purpose and sentiment of customer orders. HONORARY MUSIC, ART AND CULTURE AWARD
Margaret Vickers
Margaret volunteers with Lane Cove Art Society, helping out in a number of capacities from catering, to promotion, to event set-up. In 2016, she stepped down as the Art Society’s Secretary after more than six years. In the lead-up to its milestone 50th anniversary year, Margaret researched the Art Society’s founding fathers. An artist herself, Margaret is a great believer in fostering younger artists, and teaches printmaking classes. MUSIC, ART AND CULTURE
Cecilia Egan
Cecilia has been solely responsible for the yarn bombing of Lane Cove. Dedicating large amounts of both time and money to this project, Cee uses her craft to spread positive messages. It is such projects that help embed arts and culture as a vital element of our active and vibrant community. MUSIC, ART AND CULTURE
Professor Adrian Lee
Adrian is the President of the LaVoce Community Choir and has helped take it from a casual singing group to a successful community choir. Adrian assembes the choir’s repertoire, recruits new members, manages the finances, stages choir performances, maintains the website and organises publicity.
