Nominations are open for the Victorian Senior of the Year Awards.
The government-run awards aim to celebrate senior Victorians who share their skills, experience, time and energy with the community.
“Older Victorians make meaningful contributions to their communities, contributing to social cohesion and helping to create healthy and connected communities,” Victorian Ageing Minister Ingrid Stitt said.
Last year, Violet Town local Robbie Rae was awarded a Council on the Ageing Senior Achiever Award for her tireless commitment to the Violet Town community and passion for encouraging seniors to stay active.
These awards encourage people to think about the work of residents in their local community aged 60 and above and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians aged 50 and above to recognise their contributions.
“The vast majority of older people give back to their community without asking for any accolades — but this is their time to shine,” Ms Stitt said.
There are six award categories, including Premier’s Award for Victorian Senior of the Year, Promotion of Multiculturalism Award, Healthy and Active Living Award, Veteran Community Award, Ageing Well Award and COTA Victoria Senior Achiever Awards.
The awards will be presented in October as part of the Victorian Seniors Festival.
If you have someone in mind, you can nominate them through the online platform at www.seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/awards before nominations close on Sunday, August 11.
• Alice O’Brien is a Media Communication and Design student at Monash University, and is currently completing an internship with The News.