Unsung Heroes - WA voting

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2009 IGA Community Chest Unsung Heroes Awards Regional Winners for Western Australia

	Anne Godfrey - Centre for Cerebral Palsy Anne Godfrey’s daughter Yolanda thinks her mum is a hero, which is hardly surprising given that Anne’s five-year-old son Brayden relies on 24-hour care from her to keep him alive. Brayden suffers from cerebral palsy and a life-threatening medical condition that causes his organs to shut down, requiring nightly injections of atropine and artificial ventilation. Yolanda often sees her mum attend to Brayden and his life support equipment throughout the night, then gets up in the morning to get her three teenage daughters off to school. If that’s not enough, Anne is also busy volunteering on the Community Advisory Committee for Princes Margaret Hospital, where Brayden goes for treatment, in an effort to improve services and address complaints. Anne doesn’t think too much about what she has to do, she just does it… whether it’s giving Brayden oxygen, injections, checking his blood pressure or reviving him after a cardiac arrest, her efforts are not in vain. As she says, her son is a gorgeous, adorable kid who provides them with so much joy. No wonder her kids call her a hero.
	Rex Noble - The Albany Lions Community Care Centre Noble by name, noble by nature, Rex Noble serves his community with care. Having moved to Albany four years ago as a single parent with a teenage son, Rex was keen to get involved in the local community and soon joined the Red Cross as a volunteer. Now at an age when most people are enjoying retirement, Rex spends his time volunteering for non-profit organisations. He devotes much of his week to driving the elderly around town to appointments or on outings on behalf of the Red Cross, Silver Chain and more recently the local branch of the Lion’s Club. Described by those that know him as generous, kind and caring, Rex is one of those people who always puts others ahead of himself. He just thinks he is very blessed and fortunate to be fit and healthy enough to be of service to others in the community.
	Symon Still - Paraplegic Benefit Fund Any father of a four-year-old boy knows how busy life can be, but for 40-year-old Symon Still parenting is a blessing. A former elite triathlete, Symon was hit by a car when riding his bike in 1994 and is now a T1 paraplegic. Rather than focussing on his disability, Symon turned his attention to positive ways he could contribute to his community and ‘give something back’. From 2000 to 2003 he ran the ‘Community Bike Out’ to raise money for research into cures for spinal chord injury. Described as a gracious and giving man, Symon now starts his day at 4am to prepare for his work at the Paraplegic Benefit Fund and is the voluntary Chairperson of the Community Advisory Committee to improve services at the Peel Health Campus, where he was taken following his accident. He also volunteers at Shenton Park Hospital as part of a peer support program to reassure victims of recent spinal cord injuries that life can continue in a positive way.
	Deidre Wright - Teen Challenge WA Deidre Wright is committed to helping rehabilitate young women who are affected by drug and/or alcohol abuse. As a volunteer at Teen Challenge WA for the past two years, Deidre helps head up the Day Program, which is designed to motivate and encourage young people on the waiting list to enter the Teen Challenge rehabilitation program in Esperance. Each week, Deirdre gives her time to teach and train young women whose lives have been affected by drug and/or alcohol abuse, and help ensure their commitment to the rehabilitation program. Deidre has also been involved in starting a fellowship for those coming out of rehab, to help them build new friendships and develop a support group within the community and church. Deidre’s kind but no nonsense approach has earned the admiration and respect of all she comes in contact with. She has a cheerful smile and an infectious laugh, creating a positive environment for those around her.
	Wayne Gibbons - Mungullah Community Aboriginal Corporation Having retired from corporate life in Melbourne five years ago, Wayne Gibbons set out to do something ‘hands on and fulfilling’ in his spare time. There is no doubt he has achieved that, having travelled across the country with his wife Anne to spend the past 12 months volunteering in the remote Western Australian Aboriginal community of Mungullah (near Carnarvon). As a former general manager, Wayne has been devoting full-time hours to help get the community back on its feet, acting as a mentor to the council members and office staff, building on their skills and capabilities, and helping the community establish a range of simple programs. School attendance has improved with a breakfast and lunch program, and an after school program for boys and girls. Wayne now considers the people of Mungullah to be part of his family and wants it to be a happier and healthier place when he eventually leaves. While most volunteers contribute between one and three months to these types of projects, Wayne has made an extraordinary contribution to the community and has recently committed to another year with them.
	Bruce Peel - The Disabled Surfers Association of WA Described as an active go-getter, after having his leg amputated Bruce Peel decided to focus on the positives and now dedicates his life to helping others with disabilities. The Disabled Surfers Association of WA is an organisation that aims to give people with varying disabilities an opportunity to enjoy a safe and happy surfing experience. Since Bruce stepped in as President, the Association has gone from strength-to-strength. Bruce’s passion and charismatic personality has seen the group engage with more than 300 volunteers and disabled participants at the regular ‘lets go surfing’ events. In his spare time, Bruce even makes an effort to visit the local hospitals to encourage individuals with disabilities to give surfing a shot! Bruce is an inspiration, and a great example of a hero who is committed to helping others.
	Gerry Georgatos - Students Without Borders While at university, Gerry Georgatos noticed many students could not afford a computer, so he decided to do something about it! As part of ‘Students Without Borders’, an initiative that Gerry created to provide students with pre-entry workplace skills and hands on experience, he began a computer recycling program known as ‘8Ball’. Where previously superseded computers would have otherwise become junk, ‘8Ball’ provides a means for computers to be refurbished and re-distributed to those in need. Not only do Australian University students benefit from Gerry’s efforts, to date, the program has seen a more than 2,000 recycled computers and other goods being shipped to areas such as Uganda and India. Since 2004, Gerry and his team of volunteers have refurbished and donated more than 40,000 computers. Gerry is also involved in the Deaths in Custody Watch Committee WA and is on Environmental Conservation Committees. For the past 15 years he has also volunteered his time attending crisis centres to assist those less fortunate with educational opportunities.