A 78-year-old Lathlain woman, who is a dedicated volunteer and a seniors’ advocate, has been named the Burswood Western Australian Senior of the Year.
Seniors and Volunteering Minister Robyn McSweeney said Maggie Richardson was a fantastic role model and spokesperson for seniors.
“As a founding volunteer member of the Positive Ageing Foundation Australia, Maggie has actively engaged with the media to give seniors a voice and promote views on positive ageing,” Mrs McSweeney said.
“Maggie also uses her public speaking skills to give voluntary talks to other seniors, discussing issues such as depression and crime prevention.
“For 13 years, Maggie has been a voluntary tour guide for Rottnest Island and Perth Zoo. She has also been a volunteer and board member for the Arthritis Foundation for six years.
“Maggie is an inspiration and her dedication has given seniors a voice that resonates clearly in the community.”
Ms Richardson was chosen from a field of outstanding people from throughout WA who were nominated for the 2009 WA Seniors Awards. The winners were announced at a ceremony this afternoon.
“The calibre of nominations was extremely high this year, with people from all walks of life represented,” the Minister said.
“All of our individual finalists are inspirational people who often work behind the scenes for the benefit of others.
“They refuse to conform to the stereotypical image of seniors and they should be applauded.”
Journalists and photographers were also recognised for their positive portrayal of seniors in the media, through the Deborah Kirwan Media Awards. The winner of the print award was Mark Irving from The West Australian; Dominique Menegaldo from the Stirling Times was the winner of the photography award; and the winner for electronic media was Liz Pye from the Curtin FM afternoon show.
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