Australia Day 2024 - Churchill

Thank you to our wonderful, diligent Lions Club of Churchill for organising and setting up the Civic Space for Churchill’s Australia Day awards ceremony.

January 24 had seen rain come in later in the day and continue through the night. January 25 dawned fine but cool and the Awards ceremony went ahead outside as usual.

There was a crowd of approximately 150. Families came to support the award winners, some with three or four generations. So good!

Bill Rowley entertained the gathering with a selection of Australian songs.

Lion Bill welcomed everyone acknowledging guest Cathie Halliwell and MP Martin Cameron, before the Churchill Scouts did the flag raising ceremony.

Following this our local MP Martin Cameron spoke of the significance Australia Day had for him in his early years and still was important to him today. He acknowledged that not everyone was of that opinion. He congratulated the award winners and wished everyone a pleasant time of community engagement. He thanked the Lions for their efforts and said he, like those present, looked forward to an egg and bacon sandwich or sausage with onions following the formal proceedings.

Cathie Halliwell from the Co-Operating Churches delivered the prayer.

The awards were then presented with words read by Lion Reg and Martin Cameron presenting the award.

Churchill Citizen of the Year - Graham (Grub) Harvey

Graham Harvey affectionately known as Grub, is today being recognised for his tireless service to the Churchill sporting community.

Grub, a resident of Churchill for 45 years, is a family man married to wife Julie and is father to twins Ryan and Matthew, and a grandfather to Kennedy.

Grub was born in Yallourn one of eight children. The family moved to Churchill when Grub was still very young. The family was one of Churchill’s earliest residents, but had to move back to the Yallourn area due to Dad's work as a butcher. Grub attended Yallourn High School and started playing football and cricket, like a lot of other kids, and maybe even played a bit of soccer.

On leaving school Grub completed an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic at Maryvale Ford in Traralgon, later becoming the service Manager at Valley Ford and then moving onto apprentice training.

Grub's involvement in the Churchill Latrobe Valley sporting community is astonishing as both a player and administrator.

Grub is well respected, with his achievements and influence at the Churchill Cricket Club long-lasting. Grubs' commitment and determination and tireless efforts have helped to make the club the success it is today and a welcoming place to come and play cricket.

Grub is the type of guy who is always looking for ways to help out, the sort of guy who would do anything for you. He is humble he does not make a fuss or big deal. He is driven by what is best for the clubs which he serves.

Grub has been a Churchill Cricket Club member for 40-plus years.

As a player, Grub played 534 games, won six Best Clubman Awards, was Club President for 10 years, and is a life member of the Club.

Grub served as the Latrobe Valley & District Cricket League President for three years and is also a League Life Member of the League.

He served as the Vice President of the Traralgon & District Cricket League for 17 years.

He is a former player, Reserves Coach and Committee member at the Churchill Football and Netball Club who, on Saturday nights, prepares and serves meals as well as helping out at the Club wherever he can.

He is a committee member of the Churchill Monash Golf Club and has served the Club as Treasurer for the past two years and can be seen manning the BBQ most weekends.

Well done Grub you are a Churchill Legend a great community person and a most worthy Churchill Citizen of the Year.

A great Australian

Churchill Young Citizen of the Year – William Bonnici,

William was nominated by the Churchill Kurnai University campus where he completed Year 12 last year, and achieved high academic results. William was a stand-out student at Kurnai College last year, a school Captain and dedicated to his studies.

William is 19, is a confident, friendly, caring, and compassionate young man, who demonstrates maturity beyond his years. He has a great personality, is popular amongst his peers, is a role model to other students, and strives to make a difference, always willing to assist others. William took on all the challenges that lay ahead last year, making a positive change for the good of the school and for other students. Williams's focus was to make his Year 12 a success to help secure his future which he achieved in amazing degrees.

William has been accepted to join the Australian Armed Forces and hopes to join the artillery services. He is looking forward to the challenges ahead and is proud to join the services at a time of need and at a time of great technology changes.

William has been very actively involved with the Morwell Citizens Band for a long time. He plays the sousaphone a brass instrument similar to a tuba, the bugle and played the last post at last year’s ANZAC ceremony at Yinnar. William assists the band in helping out by teaching others. William likes the performing arts, acting, and the theatre.

William is an active community member a young person, striving for the best in everything he does. He is a member of a local Taekwondo Club where he has achieved his Black Belt. He is also actively involved with teaching self-defense and the discipline that goes with it to students young and old. He loves the interaction and seeing others improve.

William loves to do a spot of surf fishing.

He is a friendly, caring, and compassionate young man, who demonstrates maturity beyond his years, looks out for others and has an ease of making them feel welcome and included. William has proven to be an active member of our community and someone who strives and is determined to succeed at everything he does. One very deserving of community recognition.

Churchill Junior Citizen of the Year - Hudson Amos

Hudson was nominated by his school Hazelwood North Primary School where he attended and completed Year 6 last year. Hudson was nominated by the school for his commitment to his education, respect for school values, his compassion for giving of his time to assist and help other students and his leadership qualities.

Hudson is a confident well-spoken, very likable young man who was school Captain last year. Hudson is someone who gets on well with others and is a role model for other young people. He is one of four siblings who are all close. He has two brothers and a sister and likes hanging out with them. They are a close unit and family is important to him.

Hudson's main interest and enjoyment are in the arts, dancing, acting, and theatre, He practices and rehearses five days per week after school, and he has performed in stage shows with Class Act Productions which is a dedicated youth theatre company in Gippsland. He has also performed with the Latrobe Valley Theatre Company and Junior Theatre Company. Hudson has auditioned for the Australian All Stars which will travel with other kids to perform in Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta. Hudson is hard-working, ambitious, and determined to develop his artistic skills.

Hudson will be starting Year 7 at Lavalla College in Traralgon this year and is excited by the challenges that lay ahead and is determined to do well in his academic studies, at the same time continuing to further develop his passion for dancing and acting and performing on stage.

Hudson like most kids today has a very keen interest in electronics and technology and how best to use them. He is also starting to learn to play the guitar.

Hudson is a young man who knows where he wants his life to go, and is determined to succeed in what he wants to do. He has great support from his family as well as his siblings and is a very worthy Australia Day award recipient

Well done Hudson,

Churchill Junior Citizen of the Year - Isla Godfrey

Isla was nominated by her school Churchill Primary School. Isla is a Year 5 student who last year was Red House Captain and a member of the Student Representative Council. Isla is looking forward to Year 6 this year and is very committed to her education, has great respect for school values, and always makes time to assist and help others.

Eleven years old, Isla has a very bubbly personality and is one of three siblings with a brother and a younger sister. Isla is confident, polite, and well-spoken, and a leader and role model for other students.

She loves her sport and the outdoors, Isla loves hockey, not surprisingly considering both Mum and Dad play. Isla plays for the Gippsland Bulls Hockey team and has also played in the Under 12 state team. Isla loves helping around the Club whether it is showing people around, helping new young players, or scoring. She is always willing to help out.

Isla is an active member of the school and hockey community and is always a fantastic participant in school events. She loves helping out whenever she can, whether it is at home or at school helping the teachers or helping other children in the class or playground, Isla is a popular and respected student.

She loves dancing, storytelling and performing and has performed at Wakakirri at the Frankston Arts Centre which is a Story and Dance Festival for Primary and Secondary schools, Dance schools, and Community Groups.

Like most kids, Isla likes hanging out with her friends and bouncing around on the trampoline, going camping and roughing it with the family.

Isla is a determined young person inclusive, helpful always willing to help when needed, and one who strives to do her best to succeed in everything she does.

A worthy Australia Day award recipient

Congratulations Isla

Churchill Junior Citizen of the Year - Thane Allen

Thane was nominated by Churchill North Primary School where he was recognised by the school for his commitment to his education, respect for school values and helping out around the school. Thane loves school and learning new things; is helpful in the classroom, and has hopes to become a House Captain.

Thane is 10 years old and has a younger sister Ebony. Thane is a quiet and unassuming young man who prefers not to be in the spotlight but is beginning to find his creative self by starting to learn to play the piano.

Thane loves being outdoors and has joined the Churchill Scout group as a Cub Scout. He loves going on camps and being with his fellow Cub Scouts learning to be creative, leadership skills and qualities.

Thane helps out at Mathison Park and gives his time freely to assist at the park and help to make the park a better place to be for the people of Churchill who use the park. Thane loves to go to the park and Lake Hyland for a spot of fishing trying to catching that big rainbow trout.

Thane is helpful at home and at the Church the family attends. He does Bible readings, prayers and helps to light the candles. He enjoys sharing his craft efforts with the congregation.

Thane enjoys hanging with his friends, is a kind and compassionate young person who is always willing to help out others by contributing to his school community, assisting in school activities and assisting teachers when required.

A worthy Australia Day award recipient

Great work Thane

Churchill Junior Citizen of the Year - Addisen Russell

Addisen was nominated by Lumen Christi Catholic School where she will start Year 6 this year, Addisen is a popular member of the school community and was nominated by the school because of her commitment to her education, her leadership qualities, and for her deep compassion, giving of her time to assist and help others in need.

Addisen is a very confident polite young person and has hopes to become a School Captain, She loves sports, and being active by going for walks, plays tennis and basketball and has started playing soccer.

Addisen is a very happy and creative person who likes reading, drawing, story writing, and song writing. She is helpful and likes to be involved whether it is at school, home or at sports,

A part of Addisen's creativity is her enjoyment for performing, singing, and dancing. Addisen loves music with her favorite singer being Taylor Swift.

Addisen is always willing to help and assist others who need help, whether in class helping the teachers when required, or looking out for the younger junior students.

Addisen is a definite role model to other students in the way she conducts herself at school, not only academically but also for her care and her desire to help others, whether at school or away from school, she has a strong will to make a difference.

Congratulations Addisen

A worthy Australia Day award recipient

Words from Graham Harvey

Churchill has been good to us and our family. We have been involved because it is what you do for your community. Graham thanked his family for their support in all his endeavours.

The formal proceedings over, people took photos, lined up for a delicious Lions feed, caught up with friends and had a pleasant time. All this happened before the rain decided to revisit about 9.45. How good was that!