Contributors to the community

GREATER Dandenong’s Australia Day Awards recognised five outstanding contributions to the local community.
At the Drum Theatre in Dandenong on 26 January, Craig Hancock won the Citizen of the Year award, Dawn Vernon the Good Neighbour of the Year honour, Graham Don the Non-Resident of the Year title, and Sahema Saberi was named Young Achiever of the Year, with a Highly Commended Award in the same category going to Guillaume Nyakaboyi.
Mayor Angela Long commended and thanked the winners and nominees “who give so generously to help make Greater Dandenong an even stronger, fairer and more connected community”.
Mr Hancock is a life member of the Parkmore Junior Football Club and has been an active volunteer with the 3rd Noble Park Scouts for more than a decade.
He first joined the groups when his now 17-year-old son was young but has stayed on while also helping out Noble Park Secondary College and running his own business.
Mr Hancock said he’d stuck around at the football club because playing numbers dwindled and they “didn’t win too many games”.
“We did what we could to see it improve,” he said.
“You stick through the hard times.”
The 56-year-old was nominated for his strong commitment and reliability and was “absolutely honoured” to receive the award.
“It’s a magnificent honour,” he said.
“It was fantastic to have a quiet achiever recognised. I try to stay behind the scenes.”
Ms Saberi arrived in Australia seven years ago as a refugee from Afghanistan speaking little English.
Since then the 22-year-old Dandenong resident has made an incredible contribution to the community, including co-founding the Australian Hazara Students Group which runs a volunteer homework club for Afghan youth, and volunteering at Dandenong Hospital’s emergency department, using her five languages to help inform and support migrant families.
These efforts and more earned her a place in the Foundation for Young Australian’s Young and Extraordinary Changemakers.
“I come from a community that has been affected and persecuted for so many years and I never had the opportunity to do the work that I do now,” she said.
“I feel a responsibility to give back to the community.
“Whatever it takes to return back to the community what I have received over the past seven years.”
Mr Nyakaboyi received his Highly Commended Award for his involvement in the council’s Young Leaders Program, State Government’s Involve Youth Committee, Centre for Multicultural Youth Kar Kulture program and a youth empowerment course sponsored by the Department of Justice.
Good Neighbour of the Year Ms Vernon is the long-standing Greater Dandenong Neighbourhood Watch group president.
The Noble Park resident is a familiar face at festivals, events and information sessions where she volunteers to spread the word about community safety.
“I feel passionate about the safety of the community and love working with people and talking to people,” she said.
Offering practical advice on ways to make the community safer is Ms Vernon’s goal.
She’s won a Victorian state award from Neighbourhood Watch for her works, to be presented at the group’s March meeting, and has twice been nominated for Noble Park Action Group awards.
“You don’t do these things for awards,” she said.
She encouraged residents to call her on 0407 325 030 or email president@nhwgreaterdandenong.org for more information about receiving the group’s newsletter or attending meetings.
Mr Don has led the Springvale Learning and Activities Centre as president for the past 30 years.
He’s been a driving force at the centre, helping people from all ages and backgrounds to learn and grow.
His leadership has seen new programs introduced including basketball and dance activities for local African youth.
Mr Don has also been an active volunteer at other local community organistions including Glencare, Keysborough Kindergarten, the Naval Association of Australia and the Springvale RSL.