Our Lisa Richards named Macedon Ranges Citizen of the Year at the Australia Day awards ceremony

At the Australia Day Awards ceremony in Kyneton Town Hall today (26th January 2020), Lisa Richards, leader of MRSG’s Waste Action Group, was named Macedon Ranges Citizen of the Year for her outstanding volunteer work in educating the local community not only about the problems of waste but also the opportunities that a sensible approach to waste can afford. Her passion for a cleaner, more sustainable Macedon Ranges drove her to such heights (or depths) as sifting through garbage destined for landfill on her hands and knees while compiling a waste audit (and as a result she is a huge supporter of the Council’s new FOGO bin initiative); braving the raw winter winds manning a Waste Action stall at the monthly Woodend Community Farmers’ Markets; carrying out with her husband, Jem, and her children a “Plastic Attack” at a local supermarket; and organising a Wash against Waste van at the last Macedon Ranges Sustainable Living Festival which was so successful that the Macedon Ranges Shire Council are working closely with the Waste Action Group to have their own Wash against Waste van that can be used at many events and festivals in the Macedon Ranges.

Lisa’s award is indeed well merited but it is also the case that any of the other action group leaders as well as many other MRSG volunteers could have been equally considered for that award and I think that MRSG members are justified to see in Lisa’s award an implicit public recognition for all of the work that we do.

Left to right: David Gormley-O’Brien (MRSG President), Lisa Richards (Waste Action Group leader), Peter Lane (MRSG Vice-President), and Kellie Flanagan (MRSG Secretary).

The war on waste is a family affair! Jem Richards in full flight during the “Plastic Attack”

Accolades also to our sister organisation, Woodend Neighbourhood House, for their RU OK Day and Community Lunch on September 12, 2019, which was awarded Macedon Ranges Event of the Year with a special congratulations to the organisers, Georgie Garvey-Hawke, who was named Macedon Ranges Young Citizen of the Year, and Chloe Green, who became an Australian citizen today. Again these awards are a recognition of the vitally important role that Neighbourhood and Community houses play in our shire.

In the front: Georgie Garvey-Hawke and Chloe Green