The recipients of the 2024 Sunshine Coast Senior Leadership awards are inspirational.
They may have retired from their work career but not from working for their community.
Their leadership is devoted to young and old facing shared challenges.
The awards recognise their contributions to our community wellbeing.
Among the recipients, Roy and Nola Thompson have bolstered education, mental and physical healthcare with their generous philanthropic contributions.
Senior activist, Colin Maddocks, has enhanced community attitudes toward ageing.
Regina Ryan and artist Uncle Allan Parsons are respected Indigenous elders who have been inspirational in helping their people and the wider community address heritage, mental health, and disability challenges while promoting Indigenous rights.
Margaret Thompson is a stalwart in supporting carers and people experiencing loneliness and grief.
Judith Richards has transformed the lives of thousands of people across generations by helping them recover from trauma and regain their well-being.
Our senior leaders exemplify the humility and insights that arise from age and the wisdom gained from hard-won experience.
Mayor Rosanna Natoli, commended the leaders and seniors on the Sunshine Coast for laying the groundwork for what the region has become and the foundation for our future.
I believe she is sincere in committing to helping seniors thrive on the Sunshine Coast for their own benefit and the community to which they continue to contribute, especially through volunteering.
