Pride of Australia: Thanks A Million award winners named
They are the unsung heroes who make it their mission to improve the lives of others without seeking any recognition. Today, we say thank you.
Thanks a Million
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It’s reassuring that Australians have the opportunity to pat others on the back and say, “Well done, we thank you.”
And these local heroes received recognition via our Pride of Australia – Thanks A Million campaign, an initiative now in its 16th year.
“We are proud to shine a light on the unsung heroes who selflessly stepped up to take care of our community through our darkest year,” News Corp Australasia community ambassador Penny Fowler said.
“We thank them for their courage, bravery and sacrifice.”
These are the people who make it their mission to improve the lives of others without seeking any recognition. To them and the following winners, we salute you.
HARLEY FULLER
NSW
RFS volunteer
Harley Fuller is just one inspiring frontline hero brought to light by Thanks A Million.
The assistant store manager at Woolworths in Lake Cathie fought on two fronts over the past 12 months.
Defending homes in Black Summer as an RFS volunteer, Mr Fuller risked his life and was then called to help countless anxious customers in the aisles of his busy regional store.
“In all the negatives, out of fires, out of COVID, even out of the floods straight after the fires … the community has all come together, been through similar situations and we’ve all gotten stronger from it,” Mr Fuller said.
“What we do every day, whether it’s our job or whether it is the community support, it’s a choice. Helping people is a bonus out of the whole situation. For me, it’s just part of the choice we’ve made.”
COURTNEY IRVINE
Queensland
Registered nurse
At just 21 years of age, Courtney Irvine has already made her mark as an aged care worker.
As a newly registered nurse when the pandemic hit, Ms Irvine was assigned to a Brisbane aged care facility and while it was not her first choice for job placement, she said it had been a blessing.
“It’s been a huge learning experience with lots of unexpected opportunities,” she said. “I had applied for placement in a hospital then COVID came and they offered six month contracts in aged care.
“I’ve decided to extend again so will being staying steady where I am. I really love every day I go to work”
As a finalist in the Thanks A Million campaign, Ms Irvine said it was the people she worked with who deserved thanks.
“My colleagues have been so supportive, especially with things changing all the time with restrictions,” she said. “But also the people we care for deserve thanks, it is their home, not our workplace and we are privileged to be in their home with them helping them maintain their dignity.”
ALEX DEKKER
Victoria
Charity Founder
Young Alex Dekker is one of a kind.
At 20, the Pride of Australia – Thanks A Million award winner started his own food charity, Alex Makes Meals (AMM), now relying on 60-80 volunteers to make thousands of dishes a week for those in need during COVID-19.
“Providing food relief is one of the most rewarding experiences, and being able to provide for such a basic need is incredibly fulfilling on a spiritual level,” Mr Dekker said.
“The entire team has worked incredibly hard to do as much good as we could, so a nomination like this means a lot.
“My day starts at 6am, responding to emails and doing some last minute prep. Then it’s off to the kitchen to join our volunteer chefs and kitchen hands in preparing the meals we send out that day.”
Mr Dekker said Alex Makes Meals recently secured funding for a food van from construction company Laing O’Rourke to provide hot meals directly to struggling Australians.
“Their Young Guns group gave us invaluable access to systems and skills that we were struggling to set up at the time,” he said.
“They were also generous enough to bestow a $50,000 grant to help us establish a long-term foundational program.
“At AMM, we refuse to send a meal out that we wouldn’t give to our family. Every single meal that goes out our door is of the quality that we would expect from a takeout joint, with an added focus on nutritional value.”
GAYUS DONOGHUE
New South Wales
Charity Worker
At 101 years young, Pride of Australia – Thanks A Million award winner Gayus Donoghue is one of our nation’s inspiring Good Samaritans.
A member of the St Vincent de Paul Society for over 60 years, Mr Donoghue has spent most of his life helping feed and shelter those in need.
Memorable moments include a late-night call to help a struggling mother feed her starving children, arranging a funeral to fulfil the last wish of a dying man, and inviting an orphaned boy to his family’s Christmas lunch.
Mr Donoghue’s Dempsey Medal award last year recognised his lifetime of service to the St Vincent de Paul Society and St Francis Xavier Church in Arncliffe.
“It’s a real honour to be recognised and it was always a privilege to be able to help people in the community who were less fortunate,” said Mr Donoghue, who now resides at St Vincent’s Care Services in Edgecliff.
“The lockdown restrictions are slowly lifting, which is nice as my family and friends are able to visit more freely and I always look forward to seeing them.
“One of my great grandsons recently became engaged, so my family continues to grow. There’s always something to look forward to.”
Mr Donoghue’s granddaughter Cathy said: “The decision for Pop to enter permanent care was a difficult one. His tenacious spirit kept him at home (alone) well into his 100th year. He’s been a huge influence in all our lives and is deeply loved by us all.”
CHARLES VESELY
Queensland
Defence Force Chaplain
Charles Vesely says people skills are essential for an army chaplain — especially while mental health issues continue skyrocketing during COVID-19.
As a chaplain for the Australian Defence Force, Mr Vesely has worked tirelessly to ensure the wellbeing of soldiers through pastoral care, after many experienced increased stress caused by work and family pressures and travel restrictions.
Equipping his team of chaplains with the necessary skills to provide pastoral care and leading disaster management training meant much time away from his loved ones.
“I love working with people and there’s a sense of vocation that certainly helps to anchor the work that I do and the motivation to why I do it,” said Mr Vesely, a finalist in our Thanks A Million campaign.
“To be recognised for my work is a surprise, but it’s an important part of my life.
“I’d say that I’m someone who is non-judgemental and provides a safe, listening ear to people from a variety of backgrounds and beliefs.”
The father of four spent 10 years as a police officer and 25 years as a volunteer firefighter before becoming a Uniting Church minister.
“It’s important to make people feel valued and part of the community. The fact that most of us came through 2020 healthy was a great highlight,” Mr Vesely said.
BECK RAYNER
New South Wales
Podcast creator
For every story of Defence Force deployment, there are countless untold of those who remain to ensure our service men and women have some sort of normality to come home to.
Beck Rayner has made it her mission to not only share the stories and tribulations of military spouses but to unite them as an understanding and caring community.
The military spouse of 18 years and mother of two stood out in our Pride of Australia – Thanks A Million campaign, not only establishing the Military Wife Life podcast but for her dedication to her community.
“We have never really had our voices heard,” the Worrigee, NSW, mum said. “There are always stories about the person going off on deployment, and rightfully so, but I see the story behind that: the thousands who are pulling together everything they’ve got while dealing with pretty hard stuff, often without family and close friends — I just want to give them support.”
While recognition is not why Ms Rayner persists, it has boosted her drive.
“It just keeps me,” she said. “There can be weeks where we don’t speak to another adult so keeping them connected and having that recognition for it makes me feel like I can keep doing it.”
MATTHEW FISHWICK
Tasmania
Tasmania Fire Service and SES volunteer
If you have ever thought about volunteering, now is your time to “have a crack”.
This is the message from Matthew Fishwick, a volunteer of 35 years in the Tasmania Fire Service and 25 years in the State Emergency Services.
Mr Fishwick, who has also worked in non-emergency ambulance transport for 10 years has been hailed for his dedication to helping others.
“I don’t go out looking for recognition,” Mr Fishwick said. “It’s nice to be acknowledged, hopefully it might get more people involved. My hope is if they see someone can do it for that long, it might encourage them to get involved as well.
“I think anybody that volunteers to help out, whether it’s fireys or ambos or Meals on Wheels, anything like that, I’d say ‘thank you’ to all of them because they’re doing the thing that interests them and they all have an important place.”
Mr Fishwick, 46, who joined the junior fire service program when he was 11 years old, said there the real reward of volunteering was helping others.
“It’s a good thing to be able to give back to your community where you can,” he said.
“What I do with the fire brigade might not float everyone’s boat, you get people saying, ‘so are you happy running into fires?’ Once you do the training though, you might find it’s not as scary as you think it is. There’s always risk involved in something like that but you do your training and you know your skill level.”
YOLANDI VERMAAK
Canberra
Wombat activist
The life of a self-proclaimed “wombactivist” is often lonely and heartbreaking but Yolandi Vermaak would not have it any other way.
While most of us are sleeping, Ms Vermaak, of the ACT, is often in her car searching for injured wombats on road sides or patiently waiting near burrows to assess the occupant for mange or injury.
So when the widowed mother gained recognition through our Thanks A Million campaign, knowing others appreciated her tireless efforts to help these native nocturnal marsupials made a huge difference.
“What I do is a lonely job, sometimes I sit and wait for hours and you have to be really quiet,” Ms Vermaak said.
“Being so cut off from everyone makes you wonder sometimes if you’re on the right track. I guess for a lot of people, they can’t do what I do. It’s not an easy life and doing this is really hard and I definitely don’t do it to be recognised but just that emotional messages of support from others actually does mean a lot. It makes me feel like I’m on the right track and like I can actually win this battle.”
A large part of her battle is changing public perception of wombats. One way she does this is by sharing the ups and downs of her journey on the @RescueWombats Facebook page.
“Wombats were classified as vermin up until the 1920s and in many rural communities they’re still seen as pests,” she said.
“The only way to make people feel the way I do about wombats is training and awareness.”
Ms Vermaak said a big focus for 2021 was to continue to grow the nation’s wombat awareness and education.
RHONDA CLUTTERBUCK
Northern Territory
Salvation Army Officer
Rhonda Clutterbuck’s calling in life is to help others.
The 45-year-old Salvation Army officer moved from NSW one year ago with her husband, Dean, and their four children to manage Alice Springs drop-in centre The Waterhole.
Her dedication to members of the local community, many who are homeless, has made her a shining star in our Thanks A Million campaign.
“For me, it’s about my calling as a Salvation Army officer and minister,” Ms Clutterbuck said. “I feel called by God to do what I do. I have learnt a lot about people, and their resilience and inner strength. It is what fulfils me.”
Ms Clutterbuck said the most important part of her role was building trusting relationships.
“A lot of people who come here are used to people coming and going,” she said. “We come from NSW where our community was different so there are cultural and language barriers to overcome.
“I want to thank the people we serve. They really are trusting when they come into the space provided for them. I want to thank the people I work with because we have a team effort going. And I want to thank my husband; we serve together and without him there are days I don’t think I could do it.”
ALAN STEVEN
South Australia
Salvos Volunteer
Thank God for Alan Steven.
The tireless Salvation Army worker has spent almost 50 of his 70 years helping others, and wouldn’t change a thing for the world.
Every week, Mr Steven, who is retired but works as a volunteer, drives to the Salvation Army Ingle Farm and assists with leadership and site maintenance duties.
“It’s practically my life — I’ve always been happy and satisfied with it,” said Mr Steven, who has been named a Pride of Australia – Thanks A Million award winner.
But his proudest achievement was serving as director of the Muggy’s Youth Accommodation Service for almost 20 years.
The Salvation Army program provides a transition to independent living for young people who are without parental support and alternative care options, such as foster care or group arrangements.
It’s also designed to teach State Wards life skills, including cleaning, washing and cooking to ensure they can live independently once they turn 18.
Mr Steven said that without help, disadvantaged children are vulnerable to a future of unemployment, domestic violence, family breakdown and inappropriate housing.
“A stable home life is something many children and young teens have never experienced,” he said.
In late 2019, Mr Steven also helped feed hundreds of firefighters when fires broke out around Cudlee Creek in South Australia.
“The State Emergency Service and Australian Police risk their lives every day. To support them by feeding them is almost an obligation,” he said.
NATHANIEL DIONG
Victoria
Social Enterprise Founder
Unlike other teenagers, university student Nathaniel Diong, 19, was busily helping young Australians create new career pathways after many lost their jobs last year.
His social enterprise, Future Minds Network, has provided thousands of struggling youths with the skills they needed to re-enter the workforce.
“I wish people would realise that young people are innovative, compassionate and tenacious enough to change the world,” Mr Diong said.
“They just need the right tools and frameworks to actualise their ideas.”
The Pride of Australia – Thanks A Million winner also linked 10,000 disadvantaged women in tech with employment and helped struggling businesses navigate a COVID-world across 30 different start-up programs.
“The best part of my work is seeing the light-bulb moment when young people realise the true impact that they can make,” Mr Diong said.
“Seeing them more positive, confident and resourceful when they start building their projects outside of the program is amazing. Many of our alumni have since landed jobs at UNICEF, managed companies with 50 employees and gained financial freedom.
“Students leave with a growth mindset, knowing talents can be developed through hard work. They leave more positive, creative and resilient.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED
JARNAIL SINGH
Tasmania
Jarnail “Jimmy” Singh, a Tasmanian restaurateur, helped keep his community sheltered and fed through the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Singh and his staff cooked meals at his Bellerive restaurant, Dawat The Invitation, handing them out to struggling locals. And with his wife overseas, he invited struggling international students to stay at his home free of charge.
DEBBIE MUNDY
South Australia
Debbie Mundy and her team at Moving Paws ended up caring for 21 rescue dogs who could not be rehomed during COVID-19. And despite being retrenched as a real estate agent, she used her own dwindling funds and modest donations to keep her rescue dogs healthy and happy.
Ms Mundy was nominated in the Thanks a Million campaign for her dedication to the homeless dogs of Adelaide.
JACQUELINE LARSEN
Queensland
When the COVID-19 lockdown forced Brisbane mother-of-two Jacqueline Larsen’s Soul Song Choir to shut down, it took her less than a day getting it back up and running online as the Viral Choir. Their first song included the voices of 92 choir members, but numbers would subsequently swell to more than 380.
IRFAN HASHMI
South Australia
When COVID-19 hit, Irfan Hashmi rose to the occasion.
The TerryWhite Chemmart pharmacist at Cumberland Park provided free medical deliveries, free flu vaccinations, hand sanitisers, masks and other crucial health services to the most vulnerable in his community.
DEANNE BRITTON
New South Wales
Deanne Britton and the members of the Warrumbungle Community Care group found an innovative way to reach all the new people who were in need.
They created food vouchers that could be exchanged at local bakeries, cafes, restaurants and pubs, in effect helping both those in need and small hospitality businesses who were suffering through COVID-19 lockdown.
These Thanks A Million heroes are this year’s Pride of Australia award winners. But there is still time to nominate someone deserving in the Thanks A Million competition – they will go in the running to win a $200 Woolworths Gift Card.
To nominate someone and say thanks, go to thanksamillion.net.au
Terms and conditions apply. For full terms and conditions, visit thanksamillion.net.au
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