This year GLENRAC's efforts were widely-recognised at the Australia Day ceremony, with the organisation taking home two awards.
At the official proceedings Project Manager Jennie Coldham was named Environmental Citizen of the Year. Meanwhile the 2019 Christmas Smoko drought relief event, held in partnership with Ray White Glen Innes, took out the Community Event of the Year.
Ms Coldham has a long association with Landcare, working at Granite Borders Landcare for many years, followed by time as the Northern Tablelands Regional Landcare Facilitator and Member Services for Landcare NSW.
These days Jennie leads many of GLENRAC's projects and is dubbed GLENRAC's grants writer extraordinaire. In the past 24 months alone Jennie has written grants for in excess of $4,000,000 on behalf of GLENRAC. Of these applications, $1,500,000 has been secured for projects that have been or are currently being delivered in the Glen Innes community.
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Jennie's skills have contributed greatly to GLENRAC's capacity to support the Glen Innes community in times of adversity, including the support services offered by the organisation during the 2018-2020 drought and bushfire period, the Time Out from the Dry and Fire Break meal vouchers, weed and pest control, tree planting opportunities, training, events and GLENRAC's ability to employ six local staff part-time.
The 2021 Community Event of the Year was awarded to the Christmas Smoko, a drought and bushfire support event hosted by GLENRAC with Vickie Williamson and her team at Ray White Glen Innes at the Glen Innes Showground.
More than 160 people from across the region attended the free community event, taking a break from the extreme drought and bushfire conditions that were severely impacting the area at the time, to catch up with friends and family for an afternoon off.
As well as providing an opportunity for much needed social connection and support during this difficult time, the Smoko created a forum for groups across the district to join together in support of the community.
