2008 Volunteer Awards

Volunteer champions honoured

3.12.08

(left to right)  Vandana Ram,  Shula Endrey-Walder, Ken Habak, Minister Virginia Judge, Sam Almaliki, Samah Hadid, Minoo Batiwalla, Mr Pavlo Czudakewycv and Stepan Kerkyasharian

The Chair of the Community Relations  Commission For a multicultural NSW, Stepan Kerkyasharian, today hailed the winners of the 2008 CRC Awards for Volunteering  as great Australians.

He was speaking at the presentation of the  annual awards in Parliament House, Sydney.

Volunteers are at the heart of everything  in our society. The NSW State Plan recognises the important link between  community harmony and volunteering and has, therefore, placed great importance  on increased participation by members of immigrant communities in public life.

The Community Relations Commission  believes that promoting and facilitating the involvement of ethnic communities  in broader community activities will contribute greatly to a harmonious society.

These Community Relations Commission  Awards for Volunteering, now in their eighth year, seek out those members of  the community who have given outstanding voluntary service to their fellow  citizens and highlight the contribution to community welfare made by members of  migrant communities, he said.

Below are the citations read out by Mr  Kerkyasharian at the awards ceremony:

Community Service Award

Ms Vandana Ram receives the award on behalf of her father Kaylan Ram from the Minister for Citizenship and Minister for Fair Trading, Virginia Judge , at the Awards Ceremony in Parliament House Sydney

Mr Kalyan Ram - Highly Commended

Kalyan is being recognized today for his long history of community  service for over 20 years to help improve the lives and settlement needs of  South Asian communities in Australia,  including the Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bhutanese and  Nepalese communities.

Kalyan helped to establish the Indo-Australian Association and the  Sri Mandir Society to address the social and spiritual needs of the Indian  community. He has been involved in Social Entrepreneurial Ventires of Asian  Australian International, or SEVA International, since 2003 and this has resulted  in increased awareness and recognition of culturally sensitive issues among  service providers.

Mrs Shula Endrey-Walder is congratulated by the Minister for Citizenship and Fair Trading, Virginia Judge at the Awards Ceremony at Parliament House today

Mrs Shula Endrey-Walder - Winner

Mrs Shula Endre-Walder was nominated for her enormous contribution  and commitment to many voluntary tasks which have directly saved lives and  improved the lives of others.

She became known as the Pink Lady at Prince of Wales Hospitals  oncology and leukaemia ward, reading stories and distributing toys to the young  patients. She later set up School Blood Collection Centres at various high  schools, in conjunction with the Red Cross, to instil in young people the great  habit of regular blood donation.

Another of Shulas great achievements was setting up the first  external testing station for Bone Marrow Donation, at the Wolper Jewish  Hospital, after finding out that very few people of ethnic background were  registered. Recently she was acknowledged by the Red Cross Blood Service for  having personally tested and enrolled over 5500 potential stem-cell and bone-marrow  donors.

Volunteer of the Year Award

Ken Habak is congratulated by the Minister for Citizenship and Fair Trading, Virgina Judge at the Awards Ceremony at Parliament House.

Mr Ken Habak - Winner

Ken is being recognized today for his outstanding contribution to  the community sector in the Illawarra area for over 35 years. He is one of the  founding members of the Lebanese Association in the 1970s and since then has  been involved in settling families of other backgrounds in the region.
 
Ken has been an active member and Chairperson of the Illawarra  Ethnic Communities Council for over eight years where he has worked tirelessly  to establish strong foundations and sustainability for the organization. He  also facilitates and negotiates partnerships to provide appropriate aged care,  arts and youth funding to culturally diverse communities in the Illawarra.

Young Volunteer Award

Sam Almaliki is congratulated by the Minister for Citizenship and Fair Trading, Virgina Judge at the Awards Ceremony at Parliament House

Mr Sam Almaliki - Highly Commended     

At the age of 15, Sam undertook the task of establishing the only  junior winter cricket league in New    South Wales The All Stars  Winter Cricket Association . This association started off with just 33 players  in 2005 and now has over 420 players from all across the Sydney metropolitan  region.

Sam has organized Hurstville Youth Zone Harmony Day, multicultural  days and open days, school football and indoor soccer matches He is also  involved in fund raising for charities such as Calvary Hospital, Red  Cross and the Salvation Army and has participated in forums addressing racism.

Sam is truly a role model for young people on how to reach out to  the community and improve relations. He leads through positive and constructive  community involvement because his desire is simply to make a difference,  wherever possible, for the betterment of Australia.

Ms Samah Hadid is congratulated by the Minister for Citizenship and Fair Trading, Virgina Judge at the Awards Ceremony at Parliament House.

Ms Samah Hadid - Winner

Samah is recognized today for her passion for improving services  for young people at a local, national and international level. She has  contributed to promoting intercommunity and intercultural dialogue through her  community service, starting with the Muslim Womens Association at the age of  15.

She now helps to improve government policy on youth and  multicultural issues at gatherings such as the Sister Cities National  Conference, Bankstown Council Youth Advisory Committee, Bankstown Councils  community engagement taskforce, the National Youth Roundtable, the  International Metropolis Conference and the Prime Ministers 20-20 Summit.

Samah has addressed the Red Cross National Conference 2008, the  Alfred Deakin Innovations Lectures and others. She has also written articles on  youth and multicultural issues in various publications including Reflections Magazine, The Future By Us and New Waves of Feminism.

Lifetime Achievement in  Community Service Award

Mr Minoo Batiwalla of the Australian Zoroastrian Association receives the award on behalf of Dr Katrak from the Minister for Citizenship and Minister for Fair Trading, Virginia Judge, at the Awards Ceremony in Parliament House Sydney

Dr  Ervad Peshotan Katrak - Highly Commended

Dr Katrak is recognized today for his  tireless devotion to community work over the last 30 years, saving and  improving the lives of others.

As well as his medical duties, Dr Katrak  was the first resident priest in Australia  to perform essential Zoroastrian religious ceremonies, including marriages and  funerals. He later set up the first Zoroastrian Sunday school where he is still  teaching. 

Throughout his time in Australia,  Dr Katrak has been deeply involved in the Zoroastrian community, including the  acquisition and establishment of the Zoroastrian Community Centre, and much of  what has been achieved bears the hallmark of his volunteering efforts.
 
  However he has also been very active in his  professional field, being largely instrumental in setting up a training program  and a national medical college for doctors to become specialists in  rehabilitation medicine in Australia  and New Zealand.

Mr  Pavlo Czudakewycz - Winner

Mr Pavlo Czudakewycv winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award is congratulated by the Minister for Citizenship and Minister for Fair Trading, Virginia Judge, at the Awards Ceremony in Parliament House Sydney

Pavlo is being recognized today for his  lasting legacy and exceptional commitment to the social and cultural wellbeing  of the Ukrainian community, over nearly 60 years. Since arriving in Australia  in 1949, Pavlo has worked tirelessly and selflessly as a volunteer in almost  every corner of the Ukrainian community including the Ukrainian Central School in  Lidcombe, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary later this year.

Pavlos incredible achievements include  setting up the Ukrainian Society of Sydney and initiating a multicultural  volleyball competition at Burwood Migrant Hostel, way back in 1949.

Over the years he has worked with many  organisations including St Andrews Ukrainian Catholic Church choir, the  Ukrainian Youth Association, the Ukrainian Council of New South Wales, the Kiev  Soccer Club, the Ukrainian Credit Union, the Ukrainian Studies Foundation in  Australia, Ukrainian Senior Citizens Association and as an active fundraiser  for many organizations over the course of 60 years, including projects sending  books to libraries and schools in Ukraine.

His energy and leadership in volunteerism  within so many facets of Ukrainian community life serve as an inspiration to  third-generation Ukrainian-Australians.