Sister of Mercy and St Arnaud resident, Sister Angela Caine has been honoured with a Council on the Ageing ‘Senior Achiever Award’ at a special ceremony at Government House last Friday to mark the 2010 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards.
Presenting the award, Minister for Senior Victorians, Lisa Neville, said that Sister Caine was a remarkable person whose work in the community had helped people from all walks of life.
“Sister Caine was instrumental in opening a St Vincent de Paul welfare Centre in St Arnaud and organises the annual town hall Christmas dinner and hampers, toys and funds for school books and uniforms for families in need”, Ms Neville said.
“During the recent drought, she obtained government assistance to purchase a trailer, water tank and pump and support from Vic Relief Foodbank to assist farming families in need in the St Arnaud area.
“Sister Caine’s charitable work has also extended beyond her community and she has raised more than $20,000 for the Sisters of Mercy to support the development of a kindergarten in Fohorem, a remote community in the south-west of Timor Leste”, Ms Neville said.
Sister Caine was one of 12 Victorian seniors recognised at the awards ceremony which marks the lead-up to the annual Victorian Seniors Festival which opened on Sunday 3 October.
Eighty-two-year-old Ted Kitto from Shepparton was this year’s recipient of the Premier’s Award for Victorian Senior of the Year for his exceptional commitment and work with a number of children’s charities including Kiwanis and the Heartkids Foundation.
Other major award winners included Gundijmara Elder and long distance runner and cyclist, Albert Clarke, who received the ‘Go for your life’ Award, and former army Major John Vincent, who received the Veteran Community Award for outstanding service to the veterans’ community.
Nine other Victorian seniors received a ‘Senior Achiever Award’ from Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria President, Janet Wood.
Member for Northern Victoria Region, Candy Broad said that the awards were about acknowledging and celebrating the contribution of seniors to the Victorian community.
“Every single person nominated for these awards has made a positive impact in their communities”, Ms Broad said.
“These awards are an expression of our profound appreciation and thanks to the many ordinary seniors among us for their extraordinary service.”
For more information about the Victorian Senior of the Year Awards visit the Office of Senior Victorians website www.seniors.vic.gov.au/senioroftheyear