Some of Singleton’s proudest and most charitable residents have been nominated for the 2019 Australia Day Citizen and Young Achiever of the Year Awards.
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A Broadway star, sporting club members, a historian, a blood donation advocate and a pioneer for the RFS are among the nominees for the awards.
Singleton Mayor, Cr Sue Moore said the Australia Day award nominees are extraordinary locals contributing in many different ways to the Singleton community.
“The nominations submitted each year continue to showcase the truly outstanding individuals we have living in the Singleton community,” she said.
“The awards are a fantastic way to thank and publically showcase the wonderful people that give so much to make Singleton the great place it is.
YOUNG ACHIEVER NOMINEES
Byron Fletcher
Byron is an inspiring young man with a very bright future in performing arts. He is currently completing his schooling at Saint Catherine’s College.
In January 2017, Byron travelled to Atlanta USA to perform as the leading role in SHREK the Musical. He was selected for Broadway All Stars and performed in front of live audience of 10,000, which was also televised. Byron then travelled to Disneyland and successfully auditioned for the leading role in Mary Poppins. Disney invited Bryon to complete further training in their program Stage 1 – Working with Disney. In June 2017, he played the leading role in Oliver for the Singleton Theatrical Society. In July 2017, Byron was invited to New York on a USA Scholarship for the Broadway Academy, and successfully auditioned for the lead role in Nice Work If You Can Get It. He was the only Australian invited, and the only cast member from outside the USA.
In December 2017, Byron was awarded the Cultural Award at St Catherine’s College for his contribution to cultural life through his involvement in performance, Music, Liturgy and Choir. This award was open to students from kindergarten to Year 12.
Last year, Byron auditioned via video link for the Broadway Academy in New York and was success in gaining a full scholarship. He returned to the USA in July, and successfully auditioned for the leading role in My Fair Lady for Broadway New York. In August, Byron was awarded a Bell Shakespeare Scholarship in Sydney. There were only 12 scholarships awarded nationally.
In September 2018, Byron was awarded a National Institute of Dramatics Arts (NIDA) Scholarship and performed at the Drought Relief Concert at Sacred Spaces.
Brianna Fogarty
Brianna is a kind, caring and compassionate young lady.
In 2018, Brianna spent over 88 hours volunteering in the Singleton community. Brianna regularly volunteers at the St Vincent de Paul office, working with the welfare team assisting the less fortunate people of our community, and is also part of the Mini Vinnies team at St Catherine’s College.
Brianna spent 15 months as a volunteer at the Convent of Mercy in Singleton, where she worked in the museum cataloguing the history of the convent. When this was completed, she looked for other ways to help people and started volunteering at Singleton Family Support.
Brianna is a role model and is committed to making a difference by helping people.
CITIZEN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Melisa Geale
Melisa is a valued member of the Singleton community, and is currently a member of St Catherine’s Parish Ball Committee, Singleton Amateur Swimming Club Committee, and was formerly a member of the Singleton Junior League and P&F St Catherine’s College.
Melissa is actively involved in the Singleton community, stemming from her children’s participation in several sporting organisations.
Melisa organised an 80 year Singleton Amateur Swimming Club Reunion in 2018. The event was hugely successful, with people travelling from all over the state to be reunited with fellow members.
Melisa is a passionate and talented swimming coach, developing a strong and loyal swim team which has broken several records. Melisa was also selected as the Assistant to the Coach for the District Swimming Team that competed in New Zealand. Melisa’s commitment to the Swimming Club sees her participate in early morning sessions, late night carnivals and weekends away with the squad, which she takes in her stride with ease.
Peggy Moore
Peggy is a retired teacher, and a life member of the NSW Netball Association and Singleton Netball Association. Peggy is currently serving her second term as President of the Singleton Historical Society and Museum, and has been a member for 25 years. For 20 years, Peggy was a member of several P&C Associations and from 1962 to 2018, a member of the Cystic Fibrosis Association of NSW.
Peggy was appointed to Singleton High School as the first specialist girls Physical Education teacher in 1958. In this role, she encouraged young women to participate in sport. At the time, there was no competitive sport for girls in Singleton, so Peggy organised, coached and participated in the formation of a netball association. She was personally involved in obtaining Victoria Square in the off-season to cricket. She, along with others, set out and marked the courts, organised the construction and erection of posts and hoops. At the time, Victoria Square had no toilet facilities, so Peggy lobbied Council to provide this infrastructure. The sport grew rapidly, and with the development of Rose Point Park, netball moved to its own designated area. Further efforts from Peggy and the Netball committee saw the courts paved, making them all weather proof, and a club house and change rooms were provided.
At the Singleton Historical Society and Museum, Peggy actively establishes and maintains displays at the Museum and Rural Museum Annexe at the NAA. Peggy carries out local history research and supervises the archival storage and preservation, as well as working with members of the public in responding to requests for information.
In 2017, Peggy was inductee into the Wambo Coal Singleton Hall of Fame for outstanding service to the community.
Helen Shearer
Helen Shearer’s front garden may be a metaphor for her carefully curated calendar of community activities. The colourful garden beds could represent her regular appointment at the Red Cross Blood Bank (amounting to more than 450 donations over 49 years), her roles as one of three wardens at the Anglican Church and a volunteer with meals on Wheels, and the brisk 5km walk she does every Saturday morning as part of Parkrun.
Born in Elderslie, Helen and her husband raised their four children on a dairy farm at Glendon before retiring to Singleton. It was after the birth of her only son that she began the 49 year ritual of giving blood. That now means a regular trip to Maitland where the Red Cross staff know her by name. Helen goes every two or three weeks to give plasma.
When she’s not at the Blood Bank, you’re most likely to find Helen at the Anglican Church which she says she has been involved in “forever”. As a warden, she was elected by the church community to handle parish matters and support the priest or minister. She also spends Friday afternoons at the church’s op shop on Goulburn Street and attends meetings of Singleton Family Support on behalf of the church.
Lyn Wood
Lyn Wood is a quiet achiever and a valued member of the Singleton community.
Since moving to Singleton in 2003, Lyn has joined the Darlington Rural Fire Brigade, where she was president from 2005 to 2008.
In 2008, Lyn and her husband started the Catering Brigade of the RFS in the Hunter Valley. The Catering Brigade supports frontline firefighters during operations. Catering can be called on anytime day or night, to provide a meal or just hot drinks and soup to the firies in the field. In her role, Lyn coordinates volunteers to meet and prepare meals, arranges the purchasing of ingredients and transports meals as required.
The Catering Brigade also caters for training days for the RFS at Bulga Fire Control Centre as required.