Singer and choir co-ordinator Leanne Roobol was announced as Armidale’s Citizen of the Year, during the Australia Day ceremonies and awards held in Central Park on a very warm Saturday morning.
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Ms Roobol was announced as Armidale’s Citizen of the Year in recognition of her many years performing at key events across the region. She returned to the stage at Saturday’s ceremony, after performing the national anthem at Armidale’s Australia Day events for 18 years, along with ANZAC and Remembrance Day ceremonies and an array of conferences. She has also provided choirs for a number of the city’s popular community events.
I do it because I love being part of Armidale, helping the students and being part of the community.
- Leanne Roobol
“I’m just so surprised,” she said seconds after the presentation.
“It’s the way I’ve been brought up. My family has always been very involved with the community. I do it to give students and people opportunities, never for myself, so, it’s really lovely to be recognised, but this is really for all my students and everyone that I’m involved with, thank you.”
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Ms Roobol said the award meant she could continue promoting the arts in the community.
“It’s such an important thing to be an active member of the community," she said.
Mayor Simon Murray said he thought Ms Roobol was a very worthy recipient for this year’s awards, as were all who recieved recognition for their activities.
“These are all people who have been recognised by their peers for their respective contributions to their community,” he said.
“I’m just the one handing out the prize, what they do is the important thing.”
Twenty seven people became Australian citizens in Armidale on Saturday morning in a ceremony officiated over by Armidale Mayor Simon Murray.
Cr Murray said he estimated the crowd size to be about 200, similar to last year, but thought council might have to look at holding the event at a different time if it was held outdoors again next year.
Other Awards were presented for:
- Community Service to Debbie Quinn – Volunteer with the Recreation Access Project – to promote the wellbeing and interest of people with disability. Vice-Chairman of the North West New England Special Olympics Committee.
- Sportsperson of the year went to Tim Murray – First Armidale golfer to win the Jewel of the Coast tournament at South West Rocks. In 2018, he also claimed the Armidale Golf Club championships for the eighth consecutive year, winning the 72-hole tournament by 22 shots.
- 2019 Contribution to Sport went to the Demon Knights Football Club – One of the region’s largest soccer clubs provided teams and coaching support for a number of Yazidi refugees in 2018. In the same year, the club reached Round 5 of the FFA Cup competition – a huge achievement for a regional club.
- Environmental Champion to Helen Webb – Established the People’s Park Group Landcare group and has co-ordinated a number of landcare projects along the banks of Dumaresq Creek.
- Long-standing Service to the Community went to Colin Gadd – A volunteer driving instructor, soccer and cricket official, Dumaresq Lions Club President and past councillor with more than 30 years’ service to the community.
- Armidale Regional Council Mayor’s Award went to Lyndon Hardman – Founding member of the Armidale-based Classic and Specialist Car Club of Northern NSW. Mr Hardman has quietly pursued his passion for motor vehicles and love for the region over many years. It has been a love learnt from his father, ‘Curly’ Hardman, who had a motor dealership in Armidale as far back as the 1930s. Mr Hardman is an active supporter of the Transport Museum to be located at the Armidale Regional Airport Industrial Park subdivision. Lions Club International member for more than 60 years and a recipient of an international award from the organisation for exceptional long-term service. Founder of a support group for men with prostate cancer.
