Heart Volunteer Awards winners revealed

Meet the winners of The Weekly Times Heart Volunteer Awards, honoured for the huge contributions they have made to their rural communities.

SES member Allan Smeaton is winner of the Coles Emergency Responders Heart Volunteer Awards. All four winners are announced today. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

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THE WEEKLY TIMES is proud to partner with the Powercor Country Festival to celebrate rural volunteers in the inaugural Heart Volunteer Awards.

Today, the four winners are announced in the categories of Sport, Community, Environment and Coles Emergency Responders.

They are shining examples of the army of volunteers who are the beating heart of rural communities.

Kiewa-Sandy Creek Football Club volunteer Allan Croucher is winner of the Sport Heart Volunteer Award. Picture: Zoe Phillips

SPORT WINNER: Allan Croucher, Tangambalanga
Allan has been a volunteer for the Kiewa-Sandy Creek football club for more than 50 years, and is deeply involved in the community.

Ambulance Victoria volunteer and Timboon P-12 careers project co-ordinator Andrea Vallance is winner of the Community Heart Volunteer Award. Picture: Dannika Bonser

COMMUNITY WINNER: Andrea Vallance, Nirranda
Andrea is a dairy farmer and Ambulance Victoria volunteer emergency officer who is also the co-ordinator of Timboon P-12’s careers program.

A long-time organiser of Clean Up Australia Day events in Rochester, Janice Wilson is winner of the Environment Heart Volunteer Award. Picture: Zoe Phillips

ENVIRONMENT WINNER: Janice Wilson, Rochester
Janice has co-ordinated Clean Up Australia Day events in Rochester since 2014, to keep the Campaspe River clean.

SES Orbost member Allan Smeaton is winner of the Coles Emergency Responders Heart Volunteer Award. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

COLES EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WINNER: Allan Smeaton, Orbost
Allan is a member of the Orbost SES unit. He was one of the quiet heroes of the recent East Gippsland bushfires.

The Heart Volunteer Awards campaign launched in March and for the past nine weeks, nominations have flooded in.

Readers shared stories of humble men and women who keep community sports clubs going. They told us about passionate friends who clean up parks and waterways. There were nominees who volunteer in schools, libraries, community centres, pubs and for charities.

And finally, we were inundated with nominations of emergency responders, who put themselves in harm’s way to save lives and property.

Needless to say, judging was difficult.

Powercor general manager corporate affairs Joanne Pafumi said supporting The Weekly Times Heart Volunteer Awards was a way to show how the Powercor Country Festival celebrates the tremendous role regional and rural Victorians play in our community.

“We know that a shared passion for sports is a great way that people come together. We see that every year when the Essendon and Geelong Football Clubs visit regional communities as part of the Powercor Country Festival,” Joanne said.

“Through The Weekly Times Heart Volunteer Awards, we are recognising people involved in other organisations and activities which are similarly vital to a healthy community.

“It is wonderful to read the stories of the nominees for these awards who, by devoting their time, energy and skills, are making a difference to neighbours, friends and strangers.”

The winners will each receive $1000 from Powercor. Powercor will also contribute an additional $1000 to the charity or organisation associated with each winner.

Finally, while the Powercor Country Festival has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the winners will be honoured by Powercor, Essendon Football Club and the Geelong Cats at an event in the future.