A Wyndham resident has been named as one of a select few finalists in the running for the 2016 WA Seniors Awards.
Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Dave Grills MLC said finalists for this year’s prestigious awards were announced on Monday.
“Wyndham resident Pamelia Barrett is one of only six individuals vying for these awards,” Mr Grills said.
“Pam has been volunteering all her life, despite being a busy single mum to three children and providing support to eight grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
“She was also heavily involved with the establishment of Joongari House, a family and financial service centre, in Wyndham.”
The seventy-six year-old was nominated in the Community Service Award category.
Nationals WA candidate for the Kimberley Rob Houston said he met with Ms Barrett on Wednesday and congratulated her on her nomination.
“I had a good chat with Pam. She has a fascinating story about the succession of Aboriginal people in the region and how she started out by offering food, such as bits of fish, to locals,” Mr Houston said.
Mr Grills said Ms Barrett was one of three people in the running for the Community Service category, including Mariette Cowley (65).
“Ms Cowley is an Aboriginal elder who was born in Broome and raised in Derby with a strong cultural connection with Bardi, Worrora and Ngarinyin country. She has spent her lifetime working to improve health, social and justice conditions for Aboriginal people,” he said.
Ms Cowley now resides in Beckenham, in Perth.
Mr Grills said the awards provided an opportunity to recognise and celebrate older West Australians and the organisations which worked to address seniors’ needs and interests.
“As WA’s seniors population continues to grow, their involvement in the wider community provides enormous benefits to the economic and social wellbeing of our State. These awards serve as a reminder of how vital our seniors are as visionaries, role models and instigators of societal change,” he said.
The awards are a partnership between the State Government and Council on the Ageing WA. Winners will be announced at a ceremony on November 6, 2016 during WA Seniors Week.
For more information, visit http://www.cotawa.org.au/2016/05/wa-seniors-week-2016
For media enquiries contact Dave Grills MLC – 9071 500 or E: dave.grills@mp.wa.gov.au
