Eight outstanding employees from local businesses and beyond were honoured at Lower Blue Mountains Rotary's annual vocational awards ceremony on Tuesday night, October 15.
Seventy people gathered in the Emu Sports Club at Leonay to hear outstanding stories of people achieving excellence in their respective careers for worthy employers.
Organised by Lower Blue Mountains Vocational Service director Stan Noal, nominations were received from Rotarians and the general public. Final award winners where endorsed by the Rotary Vocational Service Committee.
Those achieving this unique honour included:
- Joshua Singh from O'Brien Glass in Penrith
- Alison Smith from Gateway Family Services, Blaxland
- Toni Quigley from Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Cooperative
- Anthony McDonough from ASM Mechanical, Baradine
- Karen Bartle from Gateway Family Services, Blaxland
- Chris Moulds from One Point Health, Penrith
- Kerri Weymouth from Uniting Edinglassie Care, Emu Plains
- Andrew Hurst from Active Automotive Services, Blaxland.
Detailed citations explaining the vocational excellence achieved and real benefits to every employer were presented for each award winner.
All were greeted with spontaneous applause and presented with a framed certificate to mark the occasion.
Two interesting stories emerged from this year's awards ...
The recognition for Anthony McDonough in distant Baradine came as a result of him going out of his way to provide mechanical repairs to a broken down vehicle belonging to an unknown traveller on a lonely road in the north west. Mr McDonough could not attend because of distance and the club will post the certificate and citation to his Baradine home.
Apart from the expert mechanical services provided by his Blaxland workshop, Andrew Hurst was honoured for his extra service and generosity to Lower Blue Mountains Rotary in providing a storage home, free of charge, for the club's large barbecue trailer behind his workshop.
