2014 NSW Pride of Australia finalists
We are very proud to announce the 2014 Pride of Australia Medal finalists for NSW.
Pride of Australia
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We are very proud to announce the 2014 Pride of Australia Medal finalists for New South Wales. Read below the incredible stories of the leaders, campaigners, care givers, volunteers, teachers and everyday Australians whose extraordinary actions set them apart.
CARE AND COMPASSION MEDAL
To recognise a professional or volunteer carer or group, or a member of the health professions who has made a significant improvement to the lives of those around them.
Dr Mualla McManus After losing her husband to Lyme Disease, Dr McManus began the Karl McManus Foundation to raise awareness of the tick-borne illness and continues to work tirelessly to ensure the right treatment protocols are in place in Australia.
Christine Lofts During the last 40 years, Christine and her husband Ian have fostered over 380 children; many being special needs children suffering from autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Asperger’s, drug affected, blind, deaf and brain damaged.
Finn Callanan Finn is the Manager of Stepping Stone House, a residential care facility for children with nowhere to go. Working around the clock, seven days a week, she has protected, loved and inspired many children, changing their lives forever.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT MEDAL
To recognise an individual or a group whose selfless, tireless and largely unacknowledged actions have enriched the lives of those around them in their community.
Linda and Cassidy Strickland After witnessing a homeless person rummage through a bin looking for food, Linda and her daughter Cassidy were inspired to start Hawkesbury Helping Hand, providing emergency food, clothing and support to homeless people in the Hawkesbury region.
Kelly Doyle Kelly is the founder of Foster Care Angels; a 100 per cent volunteer-run and unfunded charity providing unique support services to children living in foster care, including care packages, respite for carers and camp placements for children.
Vivian Hayles Vivian is the founder of the national charity Heartfelt, a group of professional photographers donating their time to capture the memories of stillborn babies, leaving their grieving families lifelong treasured gifts.
ENVIRONMENT MEDAL
For an Australian or group of Australians whose actions have demonstrated leadership, raising awareness and/or teaching others about environmental issues.
Corinne Fisher Corinne is president of the Lane Cove Bushland & Conservation Society and co-founder of Lane Cove Bush Kids, formed to prompt connecting local children and their families to nature through fortnightly activities held in Lane Cove Bushland.
Tom Anderson
For the last 30 years Tom has been involved in environment and sustainable practices whilst working full time. He donated his time as a volunteer to help apply for federal funding to build a Sustainable Centre to assist with environmental education for Macarthur residents.
Graham Rand Graham’s environmental commitment has existed since childhood. Founding the Hawkesbury Environment Network, he is now working on a project to upgrade the catchment of South Creek, the most damaged part of the Hawkesbury-Nepean system.
FAIR GO MEDAL
For an Australian permanent resident or citizen, born overseas, who has enriched Australia through their community involvement, hard work and willingness to embrace their new home.
Jasmina Bajraktarevic-Hayward Jasmina arrived in Australia in 1993 as a refugee from Bosnia-Herzegovina. In 20 years since then, she has worked tirelessly with refugee torture and trauma survivors and also works to raise awareness of refugee issues and lobby politicians for better services.
Denise Azoulay After migrating to Australia in 1962, Denise worked for ten years to save enough money to start Crows Nest Kindergarten, the first long day care centre in NSW, supporting children with parents experiencing hardship.
Jenny Stanger Jenny is the founder of Australia’s first refuge for trafficked women, victims of forced marriage and marriage slavery, setting up the centre in conjunction with the Salvation Army after arriving in Australia from the United States six years ago.
Dr. Jamal Rifi Dr Rifi’s generous nature and desire to give back led him to found Muslim Doctors Against Violence and the Christian Muslim Friendship Society, building harmony between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities. He is a former member of the NSW Medical Advisory Board and a community representative for the Youth Partnership with Arabic speaking communities.
COURAGE MEDAL
For an Australian, who through his or her act/s of courage have overcome personal adversity through
determination and strength of character.
Karen Crawley With a daughter diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, Karen has made it her mission to ensure people, especially doctors, are aware of the disease. She spends about 20-30 hours a week volunteering, writing up information and talking at conferences.
Jarrod Lawrence After losing his father in 2008, then his mother on his 19th birthday in March, Jarrod showed incredible courage taking on the role of guardian for his two brothers becoming their carer, comforter, homework enforcer, disciplinarian and note signer.
Andrew Rust At only 28, and as a new dad, Andrew has made it his mission to spread the sun safe message – as well as raise considerable funds for the Melanoma Institute Australia through personal fitness challenge events after being diagnosed with stage four melanoma.
INSPIRATION MEDAL
To recognise a member of our teaching professions from early childhood to university education or a role model whose compassion and wisdom while teaching, coaching and mentoring our youth has been truly inspiring.
Deb Simonds Over the last 30 years Deb has used her skills and compassion to mentor, teach, lead and support people to overcome employment barriers, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those suffering from disabilities, illness and addictions.
David Pescud Over the past 20 years David has worked to show that disabled people can take their place amongst the able-bodied and have their abilities acknowledged ahead of their disabilities, through the organisation he founded, Sailors with disABILITIES. He established the first crew of disabled sailors to enter the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
Marnee May At just 21, Marnee took on the full time role of running the Life Changing Experiences Foundation’s office as well as volunteering her time to facilitate the SISTER2sister program. Marnee also took on many new and demanding roles without question and ran the Foundation on her own for many months.
OUTSTANDING BRAVERY MEDAL
For an Australian, or group of Australians, who, through their act/s of bravery, helped save or attempted to save a life/lives.
Tod Rowbotham Tod Rowbotham, a member of Freshwater SLSC, instinctively grabbed a rescue board from the surf club and raced into the rip at the south end of the beach to rescue a board rider who was being washed onto the rocks, overcoming hazardous conditions.
Tommy Raymen After almost colliding with the overturned tanker himself, Tommy ran towards a car in front of him that was engulfed in a ball of black smoke and flames, after hearing screams for help. He found an elderly woman trapped and pulled her to safety.
Shayden Schrader, Lindsy Issac-Davies and Kurt Gillan Shayden, Lindsy and Kurt attempted to save the life of Zac Young from the jaws of a three metre tiger shark in November last year. They immediately paddled towards Zac when the attack occurred, despite the shark thrashing about, putting their own lives at great risk to save their friend.
YOUNG LEADER MEDAL
A person under 25 years who has advanced a community, or will advance a community, through academic or personal endeavours.
Melissa Tierney At just 19, Melissa has been volunteering and working with The Disability Trust for five years, creating a more inclusive community, and enriching the lives of many people. She gives strength to parents of people with a disability, and teaches them to embrace their child’s abilities.
Claudia McEwen Claudia turned her brother’s assault into a positive and launched the Wake Up Foundation. Focusing on issues such as violence, drugs and alcohol, Claudia uses the story of her brother Michael’s cowardly attack in Bondi to engage young people to question their attitudes and behaviour.
Kate Fitzsimons Kate was only 20 when her sister and best friend Nicole was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident in Thailand. Kate is now the ‘voice’ of NFF’s Travel Safety Campaign, delivering voluntary presentations at high schools around Australia to educate senior students about the importance of maintaining safety standards when travelling overseas.
CHILD OF COURAGE MEDAL
A child 16 years or under who has helped save, or attempted to save, the life of another or overcome personal adversity through determination and strength of character, allowing them to improve the quality of not only their lives, but also those around them.
Stuart Kelly
When his brother Thomas died from injuries sustained after a coward punch attack in July 2012, Stuart became quiet and introverted. After almost two years, Stuart showed incredible bravery to deliver a speech to the media, calling for changes in behaviour to stop any chance of similar attacks occurring.
Hugo Dumapit After administering CPR to his father earlier this year, who suffered a fatal heart attack, Hugo has shown great strength of character and maturity in working through his grief to be of great comfort to his mother and younger sister.
Mollyjane Boyson Four-year-old Mollyjane suffers from a rare disease that has affected only 32 children in the last 65 years. And she has already lived longer than any other known case. She has shown incredible strength and determination to live her life in the face of death.
HEROISM MEDAL
To recognise a member or members (professional or volunteer) of the SES, police, fire, ambulance, coastguard, defence forces, air rescue service who have gone beyond the call of duty to protect the community.
Josef Pichler Putting his own life at risk, Josef came to the aid of a pedestrian who was trapped under a bus. He lay under the bus for 90 minutes while specialist services worked to move the vehicle. He had to try to keep the patient calm and comforted while also warning her she may not survive.
Darrin Parkin As a volunteer with the NSW SES, for just under 19 years, Darrin has risen to the rank of Local Controller of the Strathfield SES Unit, teaching many new SES volunteers different rescue skills to better assist the community during emergencies.
Tony Gutteridge, Phil Holdsworth, Andrew Sarson and John Bugelli Passing through small fire fronts and fallen trees, and using a local house as a sanctuary to ward off the flames, Tony, Phil, John and Andrew risked their lives to save 54 residents and their pets during the Blue Mountains bushfires in October last year.
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