LAKE Boga gathered to celebrate Australia Day and the efforts of local citizens in the community last Friday.
Lake Boga Lions Club member Sue Donnelly said the club enjoyed organising the ceremony and the inclusion of younger people in the event.
“I like listening to young people,” Ms Donnelly said.
At the event students at Lake Boga Primary School and Lake Boga Sea Scouts were given awards for their excellence in school and their activeness within the community.
The award for Citizen of the Year was given to Lake Boga Inc president Steve Matthews, who formed a separate committee to organise the painting of the silo art project.
Mr Matthews consulted with the community to decide what got painted on the silos, as well as “a multitude of as organisations” which included VicTrack, GrainCorp and local politicians.
He was persistent in securing grants and work permits to complete the project.
“I was like a dog with a bone and I would not let it go,” Mr Matthews said.
For lunch there was a barbecue organised by the Lake Boga Sea Scouts, who were busy dishing out sausages.
Amber Moynahan, who has been a scout leader for 35 years, said organising the lunch was a yearly tradition.
“Because we’ve been doing this for so long ourselves, it’s almost automatic to us,” Ms Moynahan said.
Scout leader Meg Irvin said helping out for the event was important for the children and youth.
“We’ve got quite a few experienced (Scout) leaders in Lake Boga, and we’re patriotic and love our community,” Ms Irvin said.
“We watch the kids grow. I had one of my Venturers come today and she’s now a mother.”
Sea Scouts member for the past six years Zoe Arnett received the Junior Citizen of the Year Award from the Lions Club, for her involvement in the Scouts, academic achievements and various other activities, including clay target shooting and starting her own micro business selling macrame craft items online.
Even though Zoe was “shocked” when receiving the award, she also said the award was very “affirming”.
“It feels really nice to see that everything that I’ve done has been recognised,” she said.
