A big crowd is expected and beautiful weather predicted for the 2014 Australia Day Breakfast on the Bellerive Boardwalk.

28 people from 18 countries around the world will become Australian Citizens in the much anticipated ceremony led by Alderman Doug Chipman, Mayor of Clarence. The Australia Day Citizens Awards will be announced by Australia Day Ambassador, Robyn Moore.

Robyn Moore is a sought after speaker who is known to thousands of Australians as the voice of Blinky Bill. She was raised by her grandmother Mary Doran, who Ms Moore describes as ‘the last pioneering woman’ on Dorans Road in Sandford

Clarence Citizen of the Year

Mr Donald Mills has contributed in many ways to the Clarence community since moving here in 1954. He has served through St Vincent de Paul since 1956 through distributing food vouchers, clothing and furniture, making home visits, working in Loui’s Van and providing assistance in times of disaster such as the 2013 bushfires. He has served the Society also as a State President and Overseas Chairman of the State Council.

Don has represented Clarence in cricket and football and has served on the Cricket Tasmania Premier League Tribunal for more than a decade. As a member of the Howrah Bowls Club he promotes the sport to school students. He is now an active member of the Shoreline Combined Probus as well as running a Parish Family Group.

Clarence Young Citizen of the Year – Jerrick Johnson
Since the age of 12, Mr Johnson has contributed thousands of hours to community projects and youth advocacy in the City of Clarence. Through the Youth Network Advisory Group he has assisted Youth Workers and been a key leader in developing the skills of new members of the Group.

Jerrick has been active at over 45 events during his service to the committee, involving hundreds of volunteer hours. He was a main driver behind the Tasmanian launch of National Youth Week in Clarence in 2013 through logistics, fundraising and promotions and marketing for the event. Jerrick is also involved in Youthink, Rotaract and has supported his activities with YNAG through a course at the Polytechnic in youth and community services.

Clarence Senior Citizen of the Year – Ron Adams
To quote a teacher at the Cambridge Primary School, “There isn’t much that Ron Adams can’t teach these young people and they hang on to his every word.” Ron Adams volunteers at Cambridge Primary School every Tuesday, teaching literacy skills, about local flora and fauna, and recently helped Grade Six students to build a model turbine to help them understand power generation.

Ron is a volunteer and Life Member of Relationships Australia and since 2006 he has been part of the ‘Reassurance Heart Team”, regularly assisting heart surgery patients through assessment and recovery. He has volunteered as an adult voluntary literacy teacher at the Rosny LINC and is also involved in giving to the wider community through his church community.

Clarence Community Event of the Year – Community Bike Project: Bikes to Africa
This program is a partnership between Third Places Communities, the Risdon Vale Neighbourhood Centre, Geilston Bay High School and Risdon Vale Primary School. It began as the Community Bikes Program involving youth workers and volunteers working with youth between 10 and 16 years old.

Over 200 local community members have been involved in the working bees and after four years, 450 bikes have been given away locally and over 200 young people have been engaged.

In 2013, 400 bikes were sent to Namibia in South West Africa where they will be converted by the Bicycle Empowerment Network into a bike shop run by a community-based organisation.

Special Recognition Award – Ethan Hurst
Ethan Hurst has made an incredible difference in the lives of the homeless since age of eight. He began saving his own pocket money to purchase four ‘street swags’ at a cost of $60 each. The swags provide shelter and a measure of security to Australians who are living on the streets.

Ethan has since raised more than $8,000 to purchase street swags, which have been passed on the organisations such as the Salvation Army, City Mission and Bethlehem House to help many homeless Tasmanians. Ethan has gone on to address Parliament and service clubs and his school to inspire others to assist those in need in our state.

Lyndall Edwards, Marketing and Communications Officer Clarence City Council