By Phil Jarratt
Noosa Today’s Citizen of the Year Awards has now concluded, with an incredible range of nominations across the community in both the open and under 25 divisions.
While community leaders like Mayor Clare Stewart, Deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie, Sandy Bolton MP, Noosa Heads surf club life member Ron Lane and surfing champion Josh Constable have all had their say, we’ve also had a strong input from readers, including one, Paul Bell, who nominated his wife Tara.
There were many nominations for charity workers, who have so much to do in this Covid year, but on the pandemic front we were stopped in our tracks by the double nomination from both Mayor Clare and Deputy Mayor Frank of (then student) George Gleeson in the under 25 division for his selfless work in leading a team that made 1000 face masks at the Peregian Digital Hub for frontline health care workers.
Another nomination that caught our eye was reader Ron Blount, 79, who put up Marc Bright for his all-abilities golf clinic at Cooroy Golf Club, helping the disabled enjoy a sport in which he had once been a professional.
All people, young and old, giving back to their community in a variety of ways. They’re all winners in our eyes, but the nominations have closed, the votes have been counted, and next week we will announce Noosa Today’s Citizens of the Year for 2020.
