Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It takes a special kind of person to sacrifice their own time and energy to help another. While they may not necessarily have the resources to give, it is those who are of exceptional character who persevere and get the job done, even when there is no reward and oftentimes no recognition. It's this unique sense of humility, duty and compassion for others that is rare and so worthy of celebration. This is why I host the annual Bonner Volunteer Awards, which recognises some of the very best in our community. We had over 60 nominations this year—our highest to date—and it was my very difficult task to narrow down these to just five awardees. Congratulations to all those who were nominated. The quality of each of your stories is a testament to the community spirit and the dedication of so many. Bonner locals are the best.

In the young volunteer category, Xavier Curry of Mansfield State High School, took the win. Xavier sacrifices much of his time to working with organisations such as Emmanuel City Mission and the Brisbane City Council's Homeless Connect. Thank you for your service, Xavier. The Senior Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Gavin Gray for his work with OzFish. Gavin has helped construct and deploy 10,000 robust oyster banks, which now filter 1.2 million litres of water each hour, creating homes for 21 million new marine animals and addressing the need for more habitats and biodiversity in our bay.

The Adult Volunteer of the Year Award was given to Merryl Bennett, the registrar of the Wynnum-Manly Junior Rugby League Club. Merryl is committed to ensuring that all players are properly documented so they can participate safely. Last year, the club even offered Merryl a paid position, but she declined, saying, 'Use the money for the kids.' Well done, Merryl. Sailability Bayside took the win for the Volunteer Group of the Year Award for their work providing wheelchair bound people with the opportunity to set sail in two-person dinghies. Thanks to the dedication of the Sailability Bayside volunteers, many more people will have the ability to enjoy our beautiful Bayside.

Finally, I presented the George Kambouris Memorial Award. This special award recognises volunteers who have shown outstanding resilience, excellence and compassion in providing support for others in Bonner. George Kambouris was a Carindale local who, despite being born with spina bifida, dedicated his life to mentoring young individuals and enabling them to participate in sports. George made an immeasurable contribution to our local community and has left a longlasting legacy. I was proud to present the George Kambouris Memorial Award to Tom Price, Wilson Griffin and Jacob Marchant on behalf of You Are Not Alone. Congratulations to all those who were nominated and all those who were recognised.

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