Awards 2015

Gillian Hagger OAM - Katherine

Gillian arrived in Katherine in 1969 and almost immediately began a tireless and committed life as a community volunteer.

I have selected a few of her activities to demonstrate her amazing dedication to helping those in need. They include:

Gillian has been a member of the Katherine Senior Citizens Association for at least 25 years and held the role and responsibility of Secretary and Public Officer. In this organisation she arranges monthly meetings, activities, events, venues and fundraising.

During the 1998 Katherine Flood, Gillian was Manager of Australian Red Cross Katherine but went beyond her duties in that role by assisting many Senior citizens in the community to get back on their feet, keeping them involved in the social aspects of the community and helping them wherever she could through that difficult time. Gillian was awarded the OAM for her services to the aged community of Katherine during the Katherine Floods.

Gillian is a member of St Pauls Anglican Church and volunteers in many and varied roles. Leader of Bible study groups, church gardener, Church Warden, many tireless hours at the church Op Shop and coordinator of the Op Shop Fashion Parade. Gillian is a seamstress and mender at the Op Shop, organizing bags of clothing to go out to indigenous communities.

Since 1971 Gillian has been a consistent member of the Katherine District Show Society and is a steward of the Cooking Section and raises money for the Kintore School by running a cup cake decorating stall for the children. She has received the Show Society's volunteer of the year award and awarded Life Membership of the Society for all her indefatigable efforts.

 Gillian was an inaugural Board Member of the Clyde Fenton School Committee and has served as a member of the Katherine Hospital Board. 

She and her husband Ted have taught local debutantes and their partners to dance for successive Debutante Balls and after Cyclone Tracy, Gillian and Ted, like many other Katherine citizens, opened their home to evacuees, especially those with dogs, fed them and found them clothes from the Op Shop before continuing on their journeys south.

Gillian was sponsored by Willem Westra van Holthe MLA. She is an inspiration to us all and clearly demonstrates what senior citizens can achieve by rolling up their sleeves and getting the job done.

We welcome Gillian to the growing family of Seniors Of Excellence