Tea Gardens volunteers vie for Great Lakes Australia Day awards

Yvonne O’Donnell and Gordon Grainger were each recognised by their peers for their contributions to the Tea Gardens community and nominated in the annual Australia Day awards.

‘‘It was a bit of a surprise,’’ Ms O’Donnell said.

‘‘I do a lot of voluntary work but I don’t do it for the accolades.’’

Ms O’Donnell delivers meals for Hawks Nest Tea Gardens Neighbour Aid and has done so for Meals on Wheels for 13 years.

She is the current secretary of the Tea Gardens chapter of the Australian Red Cross, a caller for Telecross, checking on the welfare of the area’s eldery with a phone call, and is a member of the breakfast club at Tea Gardens Public School.

Mr Grainger was just as humble about his nomination, which was focused on his efforts of seeing the Myall River dredged - an ongoing issue.

He formed the Myall River Action Group in 2008 to liaise with local, state and federal governments concerning funding to improve the health of the Myall River.

‘‘I owe it to the community to continue the fight,’’ Mr Grainger said.

Other nominees for the Australia Day awards hail from Tuncurry, Forster, Stroud, Elizabeth Beach, Green Point, Forster Keys, Bulahdelah and Smiths Lakes.

There are four people nominated for sportsperson of the year.

Bulahdelah Central School students Karl Price and Ellie Gooch are amongst the three people nominated for young citizen of the year.

Winners of the three categories would be announced at the Australia Day ceremony to be held at Club Forster on Monday, January 26.

The ceremony starts at 10.30am.

Great Lakes’ Australia Day ambassador for 2015 is Penny Cook, an actor, director and presenter.