Volunteer Recognition Awards

DR REX DI BONA
Rex, a software and electronics engineer, is the lead mentor for a robotic competition team called Thunder Down Under, which is made up of about 50 high school students. Mentors volunteer their time to train and support the students in building a custom robot for a regional and global competition.

NAOME KAPRIELIAN 
Naome has been volunteering with the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) for more than 15 years. She created and worked on many initiatives that the ARS still uses, and her volunteer community work extends into other areas such as the Granny Smith Festival, Salvation Army fundraising, helping families during Covid-19, and fundraising for earthquake survivors in Syria and Turkey.

PAULINE HARLEY
Pauline has volunteered within classroom environments at St Charles Primary School Ryde, for more than a decade. Having Pauline available for two hours, twice a week, has allowed students of need to have vital one-on-one assistance with their learning.

REZA ROSTAMI
Since arriving in Australia as a refugee in 2013, Reza has spent his time tirelessly giving back to his community. Reza is a culturally and linguistically diverse ambassador for Equally Well as well as being chairman of the board of the Top Ryde Iranian Educational and Cultural Centre and providing mental health crisis support through his work with UNSW.

DR BRUCE SIU-LUNG POON
Bruce is Vice President and Secretary of the Differently Abled People Association, where he has volunteered for 10 years. Bruce has a daughter with severe disability and runs his own business. In his limited spare time, he also serves in the Australian Army Reserve as a Major and on the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers NSW Section committee.

DR YAGIZ ALP AKSOY
Yagiz has served as the Founder and President of the Macquarie University Table Tennis Club for over 10 years and has shown remarkable dedication to its  growth and development. Under his leadership, the club has become one of the largest table tennis clubs in the Sydney region.

CHARLES DONALD 
As Group Leader of the Eastwood/Marsfield Scout Group, Charles attends and assists at The Sirius Cup Regatta and the Sydney North Region Scouthike. He is an adult helper for the Hornsby Gang Show Scout Group and is also a member of the St George's Guild that meets at Ryde’s Historic Addington House to help with the upkeep of the grounds.

MARGERY EAST 
Margery has been a member and volunteer of CWA Eastwood-Epping for about 15 years and during this time she has held many executive positions. She has also volunteered with Meals on Wheels twice a week for about 3 1/2 years, as well as at Sydney Town Hall and Sydney Living Museums.

ANDREW HILL 
Andrew has volunteered at the Macquarie Park Ryde Business Chamber and its preceding organisations for nearly 20 years, ensuring the chamber works closely and effectively with the City of Ryde whilst supporting many local businesses to network with other businesses, the Council and the wider community.

CAMERON JESSEP 
Cameron is the Moocooboolah District Scout Commissioner, Leader in Charge of 1st Meadowbank Scout Group and is the Camp Warden at Camp Windeyer. As a dedicated District Commissioner, Cameron offers mentorship to both leaders and youth members, creating better citizens for the future.

WERNER KLARENAAR 
Even at 82, Werner remains a dedicated volunteer for City of Ryde Bushcare, working for an average of four hours a day at Brush Farm Park. He has invested his own money towards buying plants and has created all the walking tracks, as well as installing bridges, terraces and moving huge piles of rubbish.

ROCHELLE KESHISHIAN 
Rochelle has volunteered for the Australian Breast Feeding Organisation for over 10 years, working 10-30 hours per week and often travelling long distances while helping mothers to cope with the difficulties of having a newborn baby

DENISE LEE 
Denise is a volunteer for World League Protection of Animals (WLPA), working 5-7 hours per week at the adoption centre and many weeks fostering kittens and cats at her home. Denise is unfailingly pleasant to all and willing to assist whenever she possibly can.

DR FELIX LO 
Among his many and varied community volunteering roles, Felix has worked with the City of Ryde on the Eastwood Lunar New Year Festival organising committee, the Community Migrant Resource Centre as its inaugural Multicultural Ambassador, and the Multicultural Advisory Committee.

JOHN MANENTI
Known as ‘Johnny Appleseed’ by his many friends, John is a tireless worker for the Granny Smith Festival, which is an annual highlight for the City of Ryde. Without John’s dedication in attracting sponsorship in the Festival’s early days, the Festival would not be what it is today. His care for the community also extends to helping raise funds for Ryde Hospital.

LINDSAY MAR 
Lindsay is a dedicated local volunteer, having spent many years working for the City of Ryde Eisteddfod, community radio station 2RRR, Neighbourhood Watch, the West Ryde Easter Fair, and the Granny Smith Festival. The significant feature of Lindsay's community work is the breadth of connections he can provide by being so actively involved in each of the groups.

ELIZABETH MORAN 
Liz has been a member of the Girl Guides since a child in 1973, before moving into volunteering as a young adult in 1987. Liz started as Unit Leader with Roseville Guides in 1987, and in 1999, she took on the role of Region Treasurer for Northern Sydney Region (NSR) of Girl Guides, a position she has held for the past 24 years.

SAMANTHA PROFILIO 
Samantha is a vital part of the St Charles Primary School community. Not only does she volunteer four days a week at the library, but she is also secretary of the school’s P&F committee, works in the second-hand clothing shop, and assists in the setting up, running and clean up of school events such as the disco, election day BBQ and other community fundraising events.

GREG POWER 
Greg is a long serving, dedicated and hardworking volunteer with the NSW State Emergency Service

Ryde Unit. As a Team Leader, he directs the response to requests for assistance from Ryde residents impacted by storm and flood emergencies. It’s a 24/7 role, often in horrible weather, dealing with people in unfortunate circumstances and sometimes high-risk environments.

ROLF SCHAFER 
Rolf has been a volunteer for St John Ambulance NSW for 40 years, transferring to the Ryde Division in July 2001. He committed the equivalent of 12 weeks volunteer time to NSW Ambulance in 2022, including training, professional development, meetings, and administration. This included attending 210 events, with 987 duty hours.

FRAN SIGNORELLI 
Fran has been a volunteer for the Hope in a Suitcase charity for a little over a year, filling cases with clothing, blankets, and toys to be distributed to children in foster care. Despite her own significant health issues, Fran is on call 24/7 to help children in crisis who are often put into foster homes with only the clothes on their backs.

DARYL TAN
Daryl has been a great supporter of 1st Meadowbank Scout Group, starting with assisting on meeting nights, and soon doing hall and yard maintenance, organising storage, and helping at fundraising and community events. During Covid, Daryl really kept the Scout group going, encouraging participation and looking after the premises.

IAIN TICE 
Iain volunteers as a community driver for Stryder every Friday. He assists frail, vulnerable, disabled and/or elderly clients who can't otherwise get around to medical appointments and on assisted shopping trips to Macquarie Centre. Iain turned 77 last October and he chooses to spend his retirement helping others.

PAMELA WOOD 
Pam has been a member of the Rotary Club of North Ryde for more than eight years and has fulfilled the roles of President and Secretary at various times. The Ryde community has benefitted from Pam's instigation and leadership of programs and projects that have involved the elderly, people with disabilities and local school students.

ANGEL YU 
Angel volunteers for Christian Community Aid (CCA), organising members' excursions and special outings for birthday celebrations, karaoke, and cultural movie events. She also volunteers for Eastwood Chinese Senior Citizens Club (ECSCC) every week, coordinating different activities for the club members.

SUNJA YOON 
Sunja makes lunch for the elderly Koreans who attend the CASS Ryde Community Services Centre every Friday, taking them back to their homeland with a menu that includes easy-to-chew nutritious porridge as morning tea, as well as soft meat dishes such as Bulgogi, Bibimbap and traditional side dishes like Kimchi.

NICOLE DEBS
Nicole volunteered with her mum as a stage manager at the Rotary Carols in the Common for many years before heading on stage and singing the carols and then taking on the main carols with the choralists last year. In addition, Nicole has taken part in the Holy Spirit Catholic Church Music Ministry, the Mission Australia Sleepout and reading for the elderly at New Horizons aged care.

ANJU DHANUSHKODI
A member of the Ryde Youth Council, Anju has been working hard to establish a young LGBT group in the community. She has hosted the first Pride Book Club at West Ryde Library and is working towards growing the group numbers.

JAMES GREEN
James Green is a Year 12 student at Holy Cross College, Ryde and is the Student Administration Counsellor. He leads the college Recycling Program and donates the money raised to the Delany Foundation. He is also involved in assisting Lifeline at the Book Fairs and he volunteers for St. Vincent de Paul Night Patrol.

NUNE HOVIVA
Nune has been involved in Denistone East Ararat scouts since she was a cub scout. As a scout leader, Nune is a guide and mentor to her charges, helping them navigate through the complexities of life. She is there as a confidante and councillor to the scouts in times of need, be it mentally or emotionally.

JASMINE YE
Jasmine, a member of the Ryde Youth Council, has been working hard to develop and deliver workshops to the community that have a sustainable approach. She has also volunteered at events such as Granny Smith Festival.

YEGHIA GHARIBIAN
Yeghia has volunteered for the Armenian Youth Federation for the past eight years as both a member ands a leader. He is also actively involved in the Young Optometrists not-for-profit organisation, and as a member of Sydney North Health.

ROYCE ZENG
Royce is the current President of the Actuarial Students’ Society at Macquarie University but that’s just one part of an impressive volunteer CV. He has also worked on a project helping three non-profit organisations for 18 months, helped new students transition into university, raised funds for the Starlight Children’s Foundation and fought bushfires.

AASHA AUSTRALIA FOUNDATION
The AASHA Australia Foundation runs five monthly seniors’ groups that help older people connect and engage with each other through small group activities. This enables them to develop quality relationships that can be maintained beyond these activities.

BEV DEBRINCAT AND PAM WARD – CO-FOUNDERS OF THE HABITAT
Bev Debrincat and Pam Ward were pivotal in the establishment of The Habitat Community Nursery & Garden a decade ago. Among many achievements, The Habitat has produced an average of over 10,000 low-cost, organically grown native and food plants annually.

CCA NSW COMMUNITY LEARNING VOLUNTEER TUTORS
The 60 volunteer tutors at CCA's Community Learning Centre provide a broad range of classes and supporting community programs for students in the local area. These classes include Tai Chi, cooking, musical instruments, singing, dancing, arts, drawing, and photography.

CCA NSW FRONT OFFICE VOLUNTEERS
Front Office volunteers are public face of CCA and come from all walks and stages of life, including retired professionals and young mothers looking to regain skills before returning to full-time work. Their tasks require empathy, kindness, and excellent communication skills.

CCA NSW CUPPA CLUB VOLUNTEERS
Cuppa Club volunteers collect CCA clients from their homes and take them to a local cafe for socialising and friendship. In doing this, the volunteers support the mental and social wellbeing of many isolated members in our community.

CYCLING WITHOUT AGE SYDNEY NORTH
Cycling Without Age Sydney North volunteers take elderly residents from three aged care homes and retirement villages in Macquarie Park on monthly rides in a purpose-designed Danish trishaw. The rides provide the residents with an opportunity to leave their homes and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine.

EASTWOOD CHINESE SENIOR CITIZENS CLUB
The Eastwood Chinese Senior Citizens Club Inc had been hosting weekly community activities and gatherings since 1991. Its programs include English classes, health talks, art and craft classes, singing classes, music, and cultural dance performances.

FITA / St. Andrews Socio - Religious Justice Inc.
The volunteers of FITA, which was established in 2002, aim to conserve the local environment through regular clean-up events which aim to reduce rubbish by 20%-30% each year. The organisation, which is mainly made up of retirees, started from a simple idea – ‘take one plastic bag’.

MEADOWBANK GRANDPARENTS SUPPORT GROUP CHOIR
For the past seven years, the volunteers in Meadowbank Grandparents Support Group Choir have been meeting weekly, teaching 80 seniors in the community to sing. This joyous activity helps them to relax, maintain their mental health, and promotes overall well-being.

PRESBYTERIAN AGED CARE VOLUNTEER SHOPPERS
The Presbyterian Aged Care Volunteer Shoppers take clients to the shopping precinct of their choice and assist with their grocery shopping. This activity enables clients to continue doing something that gives them autonomy and gets them out and about in their community.

ROTARY CAROLS ON THE COMMON COMMITTEE
From humble beginnings 25 years ago, the committee – made up of members from Macquarie Park and North Ryde Rotary Clubs – has turned its Carols on the Common into a major annual local Christmas event, with months of work going into planning and organising.

WEST RYDE ST VINCENT DE PAUL
The volunteer team at West Ryde work tirelessly to help raise funds to support the local community. On top of their already-important work in the day-to-day running of the Vinnies store, they have recently run special events to raise more money for the Society’s good works.

Sheena Smith has volunteered for Riding for the Disabled in Marsfield for more than 15 years. Sheena leads a dedicated team to care for the horses involved in the program as well as assist riders with their requirements. Her calm demeanour and wealth of knowledge has been of great benefit to both horses and riders involved in the program. In addition to her work with horses and riders, she helps coordinate volunteer rosters and serves as the centre’s key communicator for its volunteer days.

Sheena also helps promote the Riding for Disabled centre throughout the local community, talking to potential clients such as schools about the benefits the program can deliver each participant. Sheena is often the first to arrive at the stables, and invariably the last to leave. Her invaluable contribution to Riding for the Disabled has allowed the program to thrive, even through the challenges created by COVID-19. Recently, Riding for the Disabled celebrated its 10th birthday open day and Sheena was instrumental in ensuring the day was a huge success.

She is a true local legend. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for the 2022 City of Ryde Volunteer of the Year – Sheena Smith.

Abby Hill volunteers for a number of care and disability services throughout the City of Ryde and beyond. For the past four years she has been involved in helping organise the Everybody Dance Now Discos, which are held up to five times a year for members of the community living with disabilities. In addition, Abby assists the Royal Rehab lifestyle choir with rehearsals and performances, including at the annual Carols on the Common event. She also volunteers for Sailability an organisation which supports people living with disability to enjoy the experience of sailing.

Above all else, Abby was instrumental in helping people living with a disability stay connected and engaged during the COVID-19 pandemic. She facilitated Everybody Dance Now Discos online via Zoom and created social media accounts to keep members connected. She also kept in phone contact with a number of people who either lived alone or were struggling with social isolation during the prolonged lockdowns. As you can tell, Abby is a true giver and passionate about those members of the community with special needs.

The Stryder Social and Shopping bus volunteers are made up of a team of six dedicated community members. The shopping bus volunteers travel with clients on the Stryder bus to Macquarie Shopping Centre twice a week. They assist the driver with the door-to-door pick up, stay at the centre with the clients and help them with their shopping, then do the same for the return trip.

The social bus volunteers, meanwhile, accompany clients on Stryder’s day trips. These trips are loved by all who take part as they offer the chance to get out of home and see Greater Sydney and its surrounds. The clients who use the Stryder service, many of whom are frail or elderly but still live in their own homes, greatly appreciate the efforts of the volunteers as it enables them to continue to live independently and lead happy and well-balanced lives.

In 2022 we introduced a new Award Category of ‘Community Heroes’. The heroes may have contributed in the past or present or may no longer be with us. Individuals can be nominated in both the Volunteer or Young Volunteer of the Year categories and the Community Hero category or in the Community Hero Category alone.

2022 Community Heroes Award Winners

The 2022 City of Ryde Community Heroes Award winners are listed below. We look forward to seeing their names on the new ‘Community Heroes Honour Board’ in Council chambers.

• Leasa Clark
• Kathy Tracy
• Barry Parsons
• Helen Pegler
• Barry Budd
• Rochelle Keshishian
• Kedarnath Pagaddinnimath
• Philip Brown
• Shaun Warden
• Jenny Nocom