Wodonga's citizens, organisations of the year acknowledged

Citizen of the Year Ceryn Campbell, Young Citizen of the Year Brooke Beaston, and Community Organisations of the Year - Albury Wodonga Regional FoodShare, and the State Emergency Services volunteer unit - will be recognised.

Former policewoman Ms Campbell started at Wodonga in 1975 as a constable and said it was a tough initiation.

"I remember the senior sergeant not knowing what to do with us because he'd never had girls on his staff before," she recalled. "Anyway, we proved ourselves and we got out there.

"It was a great job and a great place to work and Wodonga is a great place to live."

While many school leavers head to university, Young Citizen of the Year Ms Beaston said she couldn't wait to be her own boss.

Ms Beaston left school at 18 to open her first hair salon and now, at 24 and a mother of one, owns two businesses, and is a chairwoman of Young Business Edge, a sub-committee of Albury Business Connect and Business Wodonga.

"When I opened my business, I had 50 bucks in my pocket, a toner, and some foils that I cut by hand," she said.

"My message to young people, is to go for it; there's always a fear of failing, but I think that's what drives you to succeed."

FoodShare chairman of Albury Wodonga regional structure Simon Welsh said it was incredibly rewarding helping struggling people.

"I think the most rewarding part of the work we do is knowing we're helping people put food on the table at a time when they're experiencing a stress in their life that a lot of people sometimes feel ashamed about," he said.

"Food insecurity is such an invisible thing, people hide it, they almost feel ashamed why and we don't want people to feel that way.

"We're here we're here to help them, all they have to do is come to us and ask for help and we can help them through these moments of of stress and insecurity."

SES volunteer Garry Rutland said the 45-member Wodonga had been "incredibly busy this year" dealing with severe flooding and wild weather.

"The last spring has been quite difficult with floods and everything but how good is it to have the SES acknowledged?" he said.

"It is rewarding, not that we do it for the reward, we've probably all got different reasons, but it's great to get this recognition."

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He said SES members did more than cleaning up trees, helping people trapped in car accidents, and fixing tiles on roofs that have blown off in windstorms.

"There's a lot of work that goes on in the background as well," he said. "Each member turns up to the unit on a Tuesday night and trains to keep on top of their skills.

"And we we also do administrative work and care of vehicles and equipment."

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