General News
2 February, 2023
Lexton’s Judy Martin named Pyrenees Citizen of the Year
Lexton’s Judy Martin has been named the Pyrenees Shire’s Citizen of the Year in recognition of her efforts in supporting the community, most recently driving a project documenting the Lexton Ben-Major fire in 2019. Ms Martin received the award...
Lexton’s Judy Martin has been named the Pyrenees Shire’s Citizen of the Year in recognition of her efforts in supporting the community, most recently driving a project documenting the Lexton Ben-Major fire in 2019.
Ms Martin received the award at the Goldfields Recreation Reserve in Beaufort last Thursday, where she was referred to as a person dedicated to the local community.
Giving her time and effort to the community for many years, Ms Martin received the award not only for her efforts in coordinating and editing the Heat, Help & Healing book documenting the recent bushfire, but also for her efforts in supporting local sporting clubs and her fundraising efforts.
During the pandemic, Ms Martin wrote a book called Santa’s COVID Christmas which was illustrated by a local teenager, with some $6000 raised for charity through book sales.
Ms Martin has also collected newspaper clippings since 2005, gathering stories about Lexton and cataloguing them in folders at the Lexton Post Office.
Humbled by the award, Ms Martin said she was hesitant to accept it.
“I felt very humbled to be nominated and to receive the award,” she said.
“I hesitated when it came to accepting the award because I felt there were other people more worthy than me and who inspire me.
“But then I thought about it and I have been working hard for the community and the person who nominated me obviously wanted that to be recognised.
“I decided to use the award to talk about the importance of volunteering in our community and the benefit it brings.”
Ms Martin used her acceptance speech to promote volunteering and the benefits it brings not only to the community, but also to individuals.
“How great is it to take a meal to someone who’s sick and see their face light up or someone who’s house has flooded or helping at a sporting club knowing kids will be able to keep playing sport,” she said.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child and our kids are privileged to grow up in a small country town, but I’m worried about the village.
“As our good old volunteers age, get sick or move away we’re losing those volunteers and they need to be replaced.
“Wouldn’t it be great if each of us could encourage a newcomer to town to volunteer or if each household could think of one more thing to do in their community.
“That would ensure our villages are there to raise our kids.”
Pyrenees Shire mayor Ron Eason said Ms Martin’s dedication to the community was evident.
“When it comes to dedication to local community, our Citizen of the Year in 2023 has shone brightly over many years — from involvement in local sporting clubs to volunteering and countless acts of kindness and support for the good of the community,” he said.
Fourteen-year-old Beaufort High School student Ella Kerr received the Young Citizen of the Year award for her academic achievements and results in track and field events, while
Moonambel winemaker Mark Summerfield was the recipient of the Pyrenees Leadership Award.
Cr Eason congratulated all recipients, highlighting the impact Mark has made in the community and with Summerfield Winery.
“Through his work with the Pyrenees Grape Growers and Winemakers organisation, Mark has helped lift the profile of our region to make it the well-established wine-lovers destination it is today,” he said.