SOUTH AUSTRALIA

South Australian Community Achievement Awards

Testimonials from the 2021 Award Category Winners

I would like to introduce myself. I am Rebecca, the Creator and Managing Director of Australian Food Co. We are the winners of the Small Business Award 2021 and completely overwhelmed and honored to receive such an accolade. This award to us means a lot as it emcopasses everything that we do and allows us to know we are hitting all of the markers for the next stages of our growth. But with this awards it also helps on so many other levels behind the scenes. It's about the recognition we have gained amongst our peers in an extremely hard industry to break into. It also gives my staff and accolades for they are all a very crucial part of the team that has helped mould and take the business to the next level and assist in their own personal growth and journey.... I couldn't have done it without them. It helps us with employment outcomes, so we can keep expanding and employing more staff. Assisting us with giving back to the community, local farmers and growers. It also helps us for the next stage of our expansion and growth. As we are looking at growing the business into the national and international markets, this is pinnacle as it assists us in our credibility for grants and new markets. From all of the team at Australian Native Food Co and myself we would like to personally thank you for trusting in us with such a prestigious award.

Rebecca Paris
Creator & Director, Australian Native Food Co

Small Business Award

 

 

Testimonials from the 2018 Award Category Winners

"It's absolutely fantastic for the Tatiara Work Centre (TWC) to receive this state-wide level of recognition for its grass roots, community lead initiative. So many people during the TWC's 50 years of operation have contributed to its combined success whether it be through a direct membership or volunteer, knowing a family member or friend who's involved or just general members of the public who visit the community hub every day to support our members and purchase their products on display.

It was a complete honour for us to represent the TWC on such a huge prestigious occasion in front of 500 people who attended the awards gala. It was a real celebration of community achievement all around South Australia on so many diverse and varied levels. Just being present amongst so many other high achievers was a huge honour in itself.

Never before have we received a certificate of achievement or recognition, so this community award is the absolute pinnacle. We thank TAFE SA for making this possible by sponsoring the Connecting Communities Award. It perfectly sums up what the TWC is all about; connecting the community together. This award is a great achievement for everyone in the Tatiara and its surrounding districts and is a real win for regional areas and what small rural community groups can achieve.

Often it is so easy to under estimate or doubt your own achievements, but this event really made us aware how valued the TWC is to the community and due to our long term and ongoing success we would like to be seen as a role model to other communities elsewhere who would like to establish a similar initiative for themselves." 

Shaun Taylor, Secretary, Tatiara Work Centre
2018 TAFE SA Connecting Communities Award

 

"On behalf of myself and my executive committee of Whyalla Ripples Support Group I would like to say a big thanks Awards Australia for organising the Community Achievement Awards.
Thanks to your team for emailing me back and forwards over the last couple of months. Your kindness and attention to detail was exceptional. The Gala Presentation Dinner was amazing, the venue looked so beautiful, staff where polite and helpful. Everything was perfect. The MC Jessica Adamson of Seven News was fantastic, wow what an inspiration!
<Something about what Whyalla Ripples Support Group does – and what it meant to you to win the Flinders University Rural Health SA Award (although it is covered below, so if it’s doubling up then don’t worry)
The prize money will come in handy as we were down to our last dollars in the bank and then our insurance came in, so we didn’t have enough to pay that…but now we do. Thank you so much.
The moment our name was read out you would not believe how that felt. All the hard work we have done over the last few years was so worth the reward. I had a conversation with a young gentleman at the event and he was telling me he has been clean for two years and his mum does what I do. My speech touched his heart so much. He gets why his mum does what I do. A very special moment I will never forget."

Karen Harrison - Founder, Whyalla Ripples Support Group
2018 Flinders University Rural Health SA Regional Achievement Award

 

 

Testimonials from the 2017 Award Category Winners

"Winning the Rural Community Health and Wellbeing Award leaves me feeling extremely motivated and excited towards the future of The Postnatal Project and perinatal mental health - but also very validated in my past experiences and progress. It was an absolute honour to receive this award and attending the awards night was also a privilege and highly enjoyable. The energy within that room is something I will never forget. To also win the Community Choice Award was a beautiful testament to the community's need for this work surrounding perinatal mental health to exist and continue."

Zelma Broadfoot
2017 Rural Doctors Workforce Agency Rural Community Health and Wellbeing Award Winner

 

 

Testimonials from the 2016 Award Category Winners

"The Kernewek Lowender is a non-for profit organisation based on the Copper Coast, Yorke Peninsula. The festival was first developed and held in 1973 to celebrate the Cornish heritage of the area. The event is a major tourist draw card and welcomes over 35,000 people to the region over the festival week. The event is run by a committee of 12 who then have their own committees who then source community groups to help organise and run the event. With over 50 events during the week it takes huge commitment from the community to join forces to continue such a long standing event.

Being a part of the 2016 South Australian Community Achievement Awards was a great way to acknowledge and celebrate the hundreds of locals who come together to organise the Kernewek Lowender. To win the award in 2016 was a huge achievement and to have such iconic tourism destinations as finalists the Copper Coast community is proud to bring the award home. The Caravan & Camping Industries Association sponsorship for the award will be used towards the 2017 festival which is currently being held. It will assist with running costs associated with event administration and the logistics behind such a huge event.

The Kernewek Lowender committee would encourage any tourism destination, event or celebration to enter the 2017 South Australian Community Achievement Awards and be a part of such a positive, encouraging award forum."

Tayla Daniel - Executive Officer, Kernewek Lowender Inc.
2016 Caravan & Camping Industries Association of SA Tourism Award Winner

 

"It has been a real honour to receive this award in the Carers SA category. It’s just great that the SA Community Achievement Awards recognise this as a category worthy of recognition. As a mental health carer advocate, life is always busy with little time to stop and take stock.
Family carers are everywhere you look. You only have to go to your local shopping centre to see so many worthy recipients of such an award; some who have dedicated many decades to this important role of looking after family members who need that extra hand in their day; being there for them, helping them to get out and about to appointments and to socialise, taking them to the movies, shopping with them, and so on. It’s a lived experience that many in the community share."

Dr Sharon Lawn
2016 Carers SA Carer Achievement Award Winner

 

"We were honoured to find out that Encounter Youth won the Jones Harley Toole Community Road Safety Award in 2016, as part of the SA Community Achievement Awards. For 18 years, Encounter Youth has facilitated the SA Schoolies Operation response, and this award means a great deal to us, as it highlighted the effectiveness and effort that goes into collaborative, community partnerships.

To receive this award for the bus service that Encounter Youth coordinate as an alternative mode of transport to private vehicle use during the Schoolies Operation, has allowed us, our Encounter Youth Green Team volunteers and Principal Partner, the Motor Accident Commission(MAC) to be recognised for our support of the safety of young people on the road. The bus service is a powerful strategy that seeks to prevent road trauma amongst young people in South Australia which sees around 30,000 boardings across each Schoolies Operation weekend.

We extend our congratulations to South Australia’s young people for looking after themselves and their mates when travelling on the road during the Schoolies Operation at Victor Harbor. We commend them for making informative decisions that have resulted in no reported road accidents or fatalities linked to the school leavers celebration on the Victor Harbor Road or surrounding areas.

Thank you also to SA Community Achievement Awards for all that your team does to recognise different organisations, including Encounter Youth for their contributions that benefit our community."

2016 Jones Harley Toole Community Road Safety Award Winner
Alecia Curran, Encounter Youth

 

“It was a wonderful honour and humbling experience to receive the Alzheimer’s Australia SA Dementia Care Excellence Award at the 2016 Community Achievement Awards. We place residents at the heart of everything we do at Eldercare and the award has validated our ongoing commitment to a truly person-centred care approach which, we know, is transforming people’s lives for the better and delivering peace of mind. The gala dinner awards night itself was a fabulous event which we were incredibly grateful to be part of. It was interesting to learn about the inspirational programs and initiatives happening here in South Australia – we have a lot of kind-hearted community-minded groups and individuals to be proud of!”

2016 Alzheimer’s Australia SA Dementia Care Excellence Award Winner
Sarah Jamieson, Dementia Excellence Program Manager, Eldercare Inc.

 

 

Please see below some testimonials about our Award Program


"The Seven Network are proud to be a Media Partner of the SA Community Achievement Awards. The level of professionalism and dedication working with Geoff Griffin and Kristi Hayes, who head up the Awards, is second to none. 

We, as a Network, play a significant role in the community, supporting many worthwhile causes. We take pleasure in being a part of these Awards, which recognises individuals, businesses, organisations and groups involved in making our community a better place to live and work."

Margherita McAuliffe, Sales Executive, Seven Network (Operations) Limited  


"It is a privilege for the Commonwealth Bank to once again be involved in the Community Achievement Awards for South Australia. These awards recognise the efforts and achievements of some extraordinary members of our local communities. I admire the self-sacrificing work that people undertake every day to benefit the community and I look forward to seeing nominations roll in for this year's awards and then rewarding some outstanding people at the Gala dinner in November. Thanks to Awards Australia for each year running such a professional and successful programme."

Craig Brooke, Regional General Manager, SA/NT Region, Commonwealth Bank.