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BUNGALALLY woman Sue Alt received her Order of Australia Medal this week.
Ms Alt’s award recognised her tireless volunteer work across the Wimmera and Western District.
She was accompanied by 127 other award winners from across Australia at a ceremony at Government House in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Ms Alt said it was “fantastic” to receive the honour.
“What stood out to me was such a fantastic group of ordinary people doing ordinary things. I was in awe of what some of those people have done,” she said.
Ms Alt said there was between 500 and 600 people in attendance at the ceremony.
“Hearing what each person had done to receive their award was incredible,” she said.
Ms Alt said she was brought back in touch with an acquaintance from her days Warrnambool.
Vicki Jellie, who also received an award on the day, was pivotal in the development of the Warrnambool Cancer Centre in honour of her husband Peter, who lost his battle to cancer.
Ms Alt is currently the secretary of the Green Lake Fire Brigade, secretary and committee member of the Taylors Lake Hall, secretary of the Bravery Institute of Australia and the director and secretary of the Australian Bravery Foundation.
“I’m always on the lookout and always ready to put my hand up to help,” she said.
“This is our community and where we live, so it’s up to us to make a difference.
“We can’t sit back and be passive. We have to be active and make a difference in the community – whatever that may be. It comes down to loving where you live and enjoying where you live.”
Ms Alt said anyone could contribute to their community.
“Anybody can do it. You don’t have to have a powerful job or a high-paying job – anybody can stand up and make a difference,” she said.
“Volunteering in a community is ongoing. You don’t do an amount and then stop – it’s something that is part of your life – something apart of what you do. It’s making the community a better place for everybody.”
Ms Alt’s husband John Robinson received an OAM in the 2017 honours list.