Senior Awards

2023 Senior Awards Winners and Nominees

Award presentations were held during the Townsville City Council Seniors Luncheon at Townsville Stadium on Thursday 24 August 2023.

Female Senior of the Year - Teresita Hamilton

Teresita ‘Thez’ Hamilton has volunteered tirelessly to support not only her own Filipino community members in Townsville and North Queensland but also the wider multicultural community through her voluntary work across multiple organisations.

This proud grandmother of five was born in the Philippines before moving to Townsville in 1983 and is a four-time president and the first life member of the Filipino Australian Affiliation of North Queensland (FAANQ), tirelessly helping and supporting migrant families using her own lived experience.

Mrs Hamilton has also volunteered with Triple T community radio station as a Filipino presenter on the International Sunday program for nearly 30 years, while also participating in fundraising activities for the station.

She is also heavily involved in the Holy Spirit Parish and volunteers for the Salvation Army and Mission to Seafarers.

In addition to formal voluntary work, Mrs Hamilton assists new arrivals to Townsville, providing a friendly face and warm welcome while migrants find their feet in their new community.

Male Senior of the Year - John Weir

Mr Weir has been a dedicated volunteer at West End Cemetery since 2000, spending around 80 hours each month helping with general maintenance activities like mowing, brush cutting and tree pruning.

He also completes minor grave repairs, plot identification and general customer service for public who attend the cemetery, helping transform the space into the beautiful place that it has become.

On top of this Mr Weir records and maintains the historical data for this cemetery as he was on the Heritage Committee that played a part in getting it heritage listed.

Nominees

• Mrs Audrey Sheffield
• Mrs Margaret Ingram
• Mrs Beth Myers
• Mrs Loma Tonnochy
• Mrs Teresita Hamilton
• Mr Terry Scully
• Mr John Zohn
• Mr Norman John Ferguson
• Mr John Washington
• Mr Lyle Fenwick
• Mr Bobby Hagger
• Mr William O'Donnell
• Mr John May
• Mr Harold John Weir

2022 Senior Awards Winners and Nominees

Award presentations were held during the Townsville City Council Seniors Luncheon at Townsville Stadium on Thursday 25 August 2022.

Female Senior of the Year - Betty Sayce

In 2021, Betty was acknowledged for 10 years of service in her role as volunteer at Brighter Lives, primarily at the Townsville University Hospital Cancer Clinic and Oncology Ward. Her role includes making teas and coffees for patients and families, helping to decorate the ward for Christmas and most importantly listening and hearing people's stories, offering compassion and understanding at incredibly difficult times. She also serves sausages at the sausage sizzles and brings a smile to faces around the ward alongside her husband Alan, often with colourful dress-ups for holidays.

She is able to empathise and offer a listening ear to those going through extremely tough times who may be miles away from family and friends. During the pandemic when volunteering was paused, she expressed how eager she was to put back on her ‘yellow shirt’ and get back to the hospital. She knows how much the volunteers can do to relieve some pressures of the staff and make things a little easier and lighter for patients.

Male Senior of the Year - Anthony Hallo

Anthony is a very humble senior of 77 years age who has served the city of Townsville in many wonderful ways. With a great love for music, his passion apart from volunteering is playing the piano. He can be found volunteering at Townsville University Hospital Palliative Care Unit every Friday. It is here he will play piano in the family lounge and has done so for over four years. Anthony calls it a privilege to play piano in the Townsville palliative care centre, and many listeners and staff in the unit have stated what a blessing he is.

He also volunteers at Stable on The Strand, supports aged care residents and prisoners and provides meals to the sick. During the recent conflict in Ukraine, Anthony set up a mercy ministry that supplied food stuffs, parcels, water and medical supplies, with 100% of all money raised going towards the needs of the people of Ukraine. He also travelled to Ukraine and spent several weeks volunteering.

Nominees

• Mr Anthony Hallo
• Mr Terrence Scully
• Mr Alan Sayce
• Mrs Betty Sayce
• Mrs Dawn Shanks
• Mrs Deanne Bell
• Ms Maree McClelland
• Ms Nanette Hooker
• Mrs Joyce Richards

2021 Senior Awards Winners and Nominees

Award presentations were held during the Townsville City Council Seniors Luncheon at Townsville Stadium on Thursday 21 October 2021.

Female Senior of the Year - Ms Pamela Redfern

Volunteering with the RSPCA, Pamela regularly looks after ill dogs and cats and will often do round the clock feeds for injured and orphaned baby animals. In fact, Pamela has fostered over 400 animals back to health!

Pamela also volunteers driving the animal ambulance. This is an on call position and Pamela is often required to rush out at all hours of the day and night, to rescue animals in need. In this role, Pamela also transports animals halfway to Mackay and Cairns often stopping several times to feed any baby animals in tow. Somehow in amongst all these tasks Pamela also finds the time to do laundry for the RSPCA and sews cage covers and pouches for orphaned joeys.

Male Senior of the Year - Mr Richard Hosking

From its early years at Mount Louisa, Richard has been an integral part of Stable on the Strand. Over the years he has been Chairman and vice chairman of the management team, leader of the marketing team and right hand 'man' to the event organiser, just to name a few.

When Richard is not working tirelessly on Stable on the Strand he regularly preaches, leads worship and is part of the pastoral care team praying for the sick, taking communion to those confined to their home or hospital and phoning those in need.

Nominees

• Mrs Coral Hamilton
• Mrs Carole Lonergan
• Ms Val O’Brien
• Ms Loloma Tonnochy
• Ms Maureen Parry
• Mr Errol Neale
• Mr Raymond Hall
• Mr Tim Downs
• Mr Kevin Harney

2020 Senior Awards Winners and Nominees

Awards were presented in person by the Mayor of Townsville, Cr Jenny Hill on Friday 21 August 2020.

Female Senior of the Year - Mrs Patricia Carr

Patricia Carr has been actively involved in community work for quite a few years, mainly in the local entertainment field.

She has participated in local productions with Townsville Choral Society, NQOMT, Townsville Little Theatre, both as a cast member and in later years as a volunteer make up artist.

Patricia is a poet and has self-published several books. Her literary efforts are mainly based on her own life in Townsville with local landmarks prominent in her writings.

She is a regular visitor to Loreto Home, reading books to the residents as well as reciting poetry and tap dancing.

She has also given tap dance classes to the visitors at Ozcare Respite Centre in Mooney Street.

Patricia has been performing as part of a tap dance group called D'Esly Dancers for 30 years or so. In recent years she has been instrumental in keeping the group going when the other long term members retired. Performances are at local aged care and respite facilities. Patricia also recites poetry at these morning teas, both her own and those of Banjo Patterson. These poems she recites totally from memory.

Patricia has also volunteered as 'The Queen' at the All British weekends at the Cathedral School and danced for Melbourne Cup Day luncheons at Carlyle Gardens as well as Biggest Morning Tea at Magnetic Island.

Nothing is too much trouble for Pat and she willingly puts her hand up for any worthy cause particularly if it involves her beloved tap dancing.

The residents at the facilities Patricia visits, love to see her dance and hear her stories and poems. She is of the same generation as most of them, and they love her energy, wit, and general love of life. The staff appreciates that the residents are being entertained and it makes their jobs easier at the same time to see the residents having fun.

Male Senior of the Year - Dr Ernie Hoolihan

For over half a century Ernest Hoolihan has been a tireless and humble worker in gaining equal rights and improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Born in Ingham in 1933, his family later moved to Townsville where he was successful in gaining a scholarship and becoming the first Aboriginal student to attend the Townsville Grammar School, where he excelled at sports and was recognised as a role model as he paved the way for other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. Ernie excelled in sports of all kinds, playing rugby league, athletics, swimming, and tennis.

In 1956, while working for the Department of Social Security in Townsville, Ernie noticed how many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had great difficulty in filling out the required forms meaning that they were often either refused benefits, or overpaid and faced repayment of large sums.  Further stress was caused by people’s fear of authority due to government policies, a reluctance to access services, and cultural and language differences.  Ernie took it upon himself to help and advise them about their entitlements and how to navigate the system.  Much of this work he did in his own time and he actively lobbied the need for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Liaison officers to be employed in Commonwealth departments and made this recommendation to the Whitlam government.

As the first Aboriginal public servant, Ernie was contacted by government agencies to organise meetings and form local Indigenous medical and housing services.

In 1973, Ernie, together with his late wife Maud, established Yumba-Meta Limited to provide long-term, medium-term, and short-term secure and affordable accommodation and services to disadvantaged people, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This includes social housing, supported housing and emergency housing; a women's shelter providing a safe place for women and children experiencing domestic and family violence; transitional housing for people travelling from remote communities to access employment, education or training; a 24/7 sobering up facility supporting people engaging in public intoxication and at risk of incarceration; disability accommodation for eligible NDIS participants will ensure that young people with disabilities can live amongst their age group with dignity and not in nursing homes.

In addition to Yumba-Meta, Ernie has worked to strengthen Indigenous culture having helped establish the Townsville Aboriginal Cultural Centre, supporting Aboriginal inmates through the associated Legal Service for 30 plus years, addressing educational disadvantage with the Headstart Kindergarten program, ongoing work with the Seniors Safety Group of the Townsville Safe Communities Project, along with fund raising for the local Leukaemia House.

In 1974, Ernie also played a significant role in the establishment of  Townsville Aboriginal and Islanders Health Services (TAIHS) as part of the wider movement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to take control of the delivery of health care services in their communities.

Through his community service and leadership positions over the years are immeasurable, his efforts are somewhat reflected in his rich collection of accolades, including being acknowledged; as a Queensland Senior Citizen of the Year, a Distinguished Past Student of Townsville Grammar, with an Honorary Doctorate, and with a Medal of the Order of Australia on the Queen’s Honours List.

Ernie has been a Justice of Peace for thirty-two years and a Civil Marriage Celebrant for twenty-seven years, marrying over 500 couples in that time.  His achievements over many years involved active participation and leadership in many Indigenous services, past and present.

At 87, Ernie Hoolihan continues to make significant contributions to the advancement of human wellbeing in the community.  Throughout his life, Ernie has acted with the humility and tenacity of the quiet achiever that his labours attest. This Award will recognise his outstanding service to the Townsville and North Queensland community.

Nominees

• Mr Gary Costigan
• Ms Sue Gardner
• Mr Leslie Hyland
• Mr Lance Jenkin
• Mr Ari Korhonen
• Mr Ken Mooney

2019 Senior Awards Winners and Nominees

Award presentations were held during the Townsville City Council Seniors Week Luncheon at Townsville Stadium, on Thursday 22 August 2019.

Female Senior of the Year - Mrs Robyn Moore

Mrs Moore has worked voluntarily across multiple organisations including CORES, Townsville Suicide Prevention Network, TRCOTA, Community Information Centre, Seniors Creating Change, the Lifelong Learning Program and the Flood Response Team.

Until recently Robyn has also volunteered with Meals On Wheels, the RSL Retirement Village and Lifeline’s telephone counselling service.

Robyn’s work in suicide prevention has been credited with training over 1,000 Townsville locals and saving countless lives. Robyn also works within the community providing information on a wide range of matters related to ageing and aged care.

There are some remarkable challenges in the particular fields Robyn has chosen to work in and the impact of her work has been substantial across the whole of the Townsville community.

Her commitment and dedication to many organisations and agencies has been credited with both improving and saving countless lives in the Townsville community and beyond.Her commitment and dedication to many  organisations and agencies has been credited with both improving and saving countless lives in the Townsville community and beyond.

Male Senior of the Year - Mr Alfred Smallwood

Mr Smallwood (or Uncle Alfred as he is known to most) has been working tirelessly in the Townsville community in a very difficult and challenging area. And again his impact on the Townsville community has been substantial.

Alfred and Uncle Alfred’s Men’s group helps men in our community who are dealing with bad life choices and moving on from traumatic events. The Group provides a safe and friendly environment giving men the opportunity of a second chance with their families, employment and with themselves.

There is an of average 30 men that attend Alfred’s Tuesday evening sessions and about another 30-40 men drop in through the week.  Uncles Alfred’s Men’s Groups has had 98 percent success rate of men not returning to Jail.

Uncle Alfred has been persistent and consistent with his drive; building bridges and showing a true passion for his fellow man.

Special Commendation Award

Mrs Evol Keane for her scope of work across a number of organisations dedicating assisting the elder members of the northern beaches’ community.

Mrs Joyce Mallet for her long service to the West End PCYC; dedicating over 3 decades to this valuable community service.

Charles Raymond (Bushy) Joyner for his continued commitment to honouring the memory of the spirit of the Light Horse for over 2 decades.

Mr John Weir for his long voluntary service maintaining our city’s heritage listed West End Cemetery.

Nominees

• Mrs Susan Anderson
• Mrs Barbara Johnsson
• Mrs Trudy Lightfoot
• Mrs Margaret Neihoff
• Mrs Lynette Pridmore
• Mrs Jenny Staddon OAM
• Ms Barbara Robinson
• Ms Helen Sugars
• Mr Noel Collins
• Mr Michael Graham MacLaren
• Mr Neville Minon
• Mr Jim Monaghan
• Mr James Osborne
• Mr Max Bruce Tavasci