Three local people will receive well-deserved recognition from the shire and the community on Australia Day when they receive Bega Valley Shire awards.
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Dane and Junee Waites will be named joint Citizen of the Year, Ron Finneran will received the Senior of the Year award while Sean Fitzpatrick will be named the Young Citizen of the Year.
Dane’s 4000km, three month run across our country was 14 years in the making – a mission supported by the rock in Dane’s universe his mum Junee and his late dad Rod.
Dane and Junee’s aim was to raise awareness of what is possible from a life with autism, along the way they raised money for support services and research, but it was their simple presence in communities along the way that carried the most value.
In doing so Dane raised awareness of what is possible from a life with autism. His epic run also raised over $120,000 for autism research and Beyond Blue.
“More than that Dane and Junee show us that people of ability come in all sorts of packages and that we aren’t all the same – and that is okay and in fact difference and diversity are qualities to celebrate,” Bega Valley Shire Council’s citation said.
Ron Finneran introduced skiing to people with a disability in the early seventies; however his commitment to the challenges faced by people with a disability still burns bright five decades later.
Ron represented Australia at the very first Winter Paralympics in Sweden in 1976 – he was a one man team, and paid his own way. He stayed on in Sweden to learn and make the most of local opportunities for disabled skiers.
Returning to Australia in 1978 with that experience running hot, he established the Australian Disabled Skiers Federation and set about creating opportunities for all and raising awareness of the potential disabled skiers brought to the slopes and our community.
Over the years he has acted as Chef de Mission, Team Manager, and Captain of a number of Australian teams competing at Winter Paralympic Games.
He was part of the bid committee that secured the 2000 Olympics and Paralympics for Sydney and went on to help with the organisation and staging of the games.
He has inspired and supported generations of skiers.
“A life impacted by polo as a toddler continues to shape his contribution to society, in recent years Ron has been Chair of Council’s Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee – helping shape neighbourhoods and communities that respect and support opportunities for all,” council’s citation said.
The Bega Valley Young Citizen of the Year has an exhaustive list of achievements and interests, Shaun Fitzpatrick lives a full and busy life.
As he moves into the senior years at Eden Marine High School he doesn’t have long to wait to grab hold of the opportunities his talent and passion creates.
Shaun has the basics covered studying Advanced Maths and English while having a strong interest in science.
He has played with the school band, represented Eden at regional athletics, and supported primary school student’s transition to high school.
In 2018, Shaun takes his growing leadership skills to the NSW Student Representative Council, the Department of Education’s peak student decision making forum.
Shaun will be one of 22 students from public schools around NSW, their aim is to improve the quality of school life for all students, to increase student participation rates, and to make schools places where students want to be.
Outside of school, Shaun has a strong connection to Scouts NSW as a patrol leader and more recently as the Unit Chair of the 1st Merimbula Venturers.
His other contributions include the Merimbula Pambula Bulldogs, the Pambula Panthers, the Merimbula Grasshoppers, the Pambula Penguins, Clean Up Australia Day, and the Pambula Show.
