A CHINESE-RUSSIAN heritage is not the only unique quality about Greater Dandenong’s 2007 Citizen of the Year.
Star can reveal that Ludmilla Karganova, 49, will this week receive the honour for her unmatched devotion to the city’s Chinese community.
Ms Karganova’s work has helped integrate Chinese refugees into Greater Dandenong’s broader community since her arrival in 1985.
Ms Karganova is a volunteer with settlement organisations including the Migrant Resource Centre.
She also volunteers for the City of Greater Dandenong council’s Meals on Wheels program.
Ms Karganova’s Chinese-Russian heritage began when her grandmother fled Russia post-World War II and settled in China.
Senior Citizen of the Year
LYN Bates has fought a personal battle with polio for more than 50 years.
But it is her public battle to have the once-prominent disease recognised in case it once again returns to haunt future generations which has earned her the award.
At age six, Ms Bates was diagnosed with the debilitating disease and now battles against the painful effects of Post Polio Syndrome.
The virus has also confined Ms Bates to a wheelchair.
She is president of the South Eastern Region Polio Support Group, an advocacy organisation appealing to young mothers to ensure their children are vaccinated against the disease.
Ms Bates is also recognised for her work promoting respect and equity for people with disabilities.
