AUSTRALIAN SPIRIT: Robyn Lardner credits her husband Des Lardner as a source of inspiration for her volunteer work in the Wimmera. Mrs Lardner has been named Horsham Rural City’s 2013 Citizen of the Year. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
HORSHAM volunteer Robyn Lardner will be honoured for her tireless community work tomorrow when she is named Horsham Rural City's 2013 Citizen of the Year.
Mrs Lardner will receive the Australia Day award at Horsham Soundshell alongside Young Citizen of the Year Rebecca Schmidt and Horsham Carols by Candlelight organisers who won the Community Event of the Year Award.
Mrs Lardner has volunteered or worked for more than 12 community health services, organisations or large-scale events, including Horsham East Rotary Club, the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Grampians Medical Local.
She has had a hand in raising more than $200,000 for organisations during almost 30 years.
"I think that every project that I take on, I want it to be the best that I have done," she said.
"I want to always give 150 per cent to every project and I generally never say 'no'.
"I am really only a caretaker of this award because I didn't get it on my own; I wouldn't have been able to do it without the help of Wimmera people."
Mrs Lardner said Bronwen Clark, who helped her develop a marketing plan for Wimmera Health Care Group Foundation, and Denise Leembruggen, who was a role model for organising large-scale events, had inspired her volunteer work.
She also thanked her husband Des Lardner for his support.
"Des has been the most significant person in my life and I am truly grateful to him for being my greatest mentor," she said.
"His constant, unwavering support has allowed me to accomplish so many things for our community which have also given us so much enjoyment."
Miss Schmidt, 18, said she was shocked to have been named Horsham Rural City's Young Citizen of the Year.
She said she organised fundraising events for the Horsham College volleyball team, volunteered with meals-on-wheels and coached an under-13 volleyball team.
"I just do it because I like it but didn't think I would get anything for it," she said.
"I am going to be studying primary school teaching this year but I do have a passion for working with the elderly.
"They are really interested in your life and they treat you a little bit like family."
Horsham Carols by Candlelight creative team member Simon Dandy said organisers had received great community feedback on the event, which featured children's and traditional carols programs.
"When we first met, the team discussed how we wanted to take it in a new direction and respond to community feedback," he said.
"As a team we did create something that was a bit different from previous years and it was a credit to everyone involved.
"The best thing about it was that no-one had a personal agenda but everyone went in on the basis of making a top-notch event for the community.
"When you have that approach then you can get good results."