Lorrie Morgan from Newport was selected as Citizen of the Year by Pittwater Council for her tireless work as an advocate for the arts in Pittwater.

The winners of the 2012 Pittwater Australia Day Awards were announced at Australia Day celebrations at Newport Beach.

The six award categories included the Pittwater Citizen of the Year, Senior Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Sportsperson of the Year, Australia Day Award and Community Event of the Year.

As President for Pittwater Community Arts, Lorrie Morgan coordinates numerous events, giving many artists in the area an opportunity to display and sell their works. Her key achievements include organising the annual Pittwater Community Arts show and the successful Pittwater Artists Trail.

Betty Snelling from Warriewood received the Senior Citizen of the Year Award for her dedicated work at the Jacaranda Day Activity and Respite Centre.

This centre provides respite to carers of the frail and elderly in the Pittwater area.

Pittwater’s Young Citizen of the Year is Amnon Holland, a Clareville resident and a former student of Pittwater High School who had the idea to encourage the school to purchase and use solar panels to conserve energy. With support from his father Bill Holland, the school community and corporate sponsors, Pittwater High was the first school in the world to go solar.

Whale Beach netballer Elly Willan was elected Sportsperson of the Year. Elly demonstrated her skill as an outstanding netballer by co-captaining her team to three consecutive wins at the State League Waratah Cup. Elly has been an active member of the Manly Warringah Netball Association contributing at coaching clinics for young players.

Two highly commended awards were awarded for Pittwater’s Community Event of the Year. One was the International Women’s Day Breakfast organised by the Zonta Club (see page 16) and the other Life Matters, organised by Kathy Lee.

Life Matters has helped transform the conversation around death and dying in Pittwater by engaging GPs, palliative care workers, volunteers and residents in seeing death as a natural part of life. Similar events are now being held on the Central Coast, ACT and Victoria.

The winner of this year’s Community Event of the Year is North Palm Beach Surf Life Saving Club, whose members have been conducting a Reconciliation and Cultural Exchange Program known as ‘Outback meets the Beach’ since 2007.

This is a two way initiative where indigenous youth and accompanying Elders travel to North Palm Beach from Jawoyn Communities in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.

In exchange surf club members make regular trips to the community. The exchange provides an opportunity for education, mentoring and sharing of different cultures, breaking down intolerance and ignorance and providing an environment where trust and respect are fostered.

The Australia Day Award had joint winners. The first recipient is Emile Jansen of Jansen Design & Architecture. Emile has made numerous pro bono contributions to the Pittwater community.

His architectural services were recently auctioned at the Rotary Northern Beaches Spring Concert with donations providing support for children with severe heart problems at the Westmead Hospital.

In addition Emile has provided free services to develop designs and plans for the extension and modernisation of the Palliative Care Centre at Mona Vale hospital.

The other joint winner of the 2012 Australia Day Award is Brian Friend. During Brian’s time in the police force he was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery for a sea rescue off the northern beaches and commendations for rescue work during the 1994 bush fires.

However it is Brian’s outstanding contribution on the sporting field which has won him this award.

Brian has been the backbone of a number of Pittwater’s sporting clubs for several decades, including Warringah Touch and the Avalon Bulldogs Rugby League Club.

Brian continues to coach and referee young players, including each year’s under-6 team at the Avalon Bulldogs. He is also actively involved in fund raising for the charity NSW Police Legacy and cancer research.

Lorrie Morgan, right with MP Bronwen Bishop	Betty Snelling	Elly Willan, right with her coach Jenny O'Keefe
Kathy Lee	Emile Jansen	Brian Friend and grandson Clint