Our 2024 Citizen of the Year Norma Matters receiving her award from Mayor Phill Stone.
Help us find Whyalla's brightest
06 September 2024
Whyalla’s 2024 Citizen of the Year Norma Matters is calling for the community to start thinking about who they can nominate for next year’s awards.
It may seem like a long way away, but the downhill slide to 2025 has begun and Whyalla City Council is already accepting nominations for the next batch of worthy recipients.
The annual awards celebrate the city’s many generous residents who give up their time to give back to the community. Norma was recognised for the assistance she provides to grieving families and individuals facing illnesses, as well as volunteering for a range of organisations.
This week we sat down with Norma to talk about the importance of these awards in our community – here’s a small sample of the conversation (full video below) :
Why do you think it’s important to give back to the community?
“We need to support each other [no matter what our strengths may be]. I don’t have nursing skills, I’m not a teacher…but I can reach out and I can listen and I can do what needs to be done.”
What did it mean to you to be nominated and ultimately win the award?
“It was such a privilege to be recognised. The appreciation that it has given me to understand and know that I’ve been appreciated along the way is very, very comforting.”
Why is it important to nominate people for the Citizen of the Year awards?
“People help people and there’s many of them out there, and I just want them to be recognised as I was so caringly and generously recognised. It’s really so important that we just say thank you in a different way.”
There are numerous awards you can nominate community members for, including:
- Citizen of the Year
- Senior Citizen of the Year
- Young Citizen of the Year
- Community Service
The categories reward and recognise individuals who have made a noteworthy contribution during the past year, as well as acknowledging previous achievements and ongoing contribution over and above their normal employment duties.
If you know someone who makes Whyalla a better place, click the button below to read the criteria and nominate them for an award.