Australia Day Citizen of the Year – Adam Smith
Senior Citizen of the Year – Lorraine Musgrove
Young Citizen of the Year – Julia Dangerfield
Community Event of the Year – Blue Lake Carols
Active Citizenship Award – Mount Gambier Men’s Shed ‘Toy Boys’
Joan Osmond has dedicated her life to family, community involvement and service.
At 92 years old she continues to actively volunteer for local community groups, organisations and services regularly.
Ms Osmond is known for her selfless and unassuming manner and lives by the philosophy that it is vital to give, assist and serve others to keep the community connected.
She was born in Robertstown South Australia on September 6, 1929 and grew up on the family farm as the eldest of five children.
Ms Osmond’s mother died when she was 22 years old leaving her with the responsibility to raise her siblings and take care of the house and farm when her father fell ill.
“When I was brought up we had the depression and then the war, so we did not have anything, nothing much.
“It was good because it taught us how to live,” Ms Osmond said.
She moved to Mount Gambier in 1956, got married and had two children Jenny and Greg.
She now has four grandchildren.
“In between looking after my grandchildren, I just wanted to do something in the community as I like to be busy and I hate sitting at home.
“I think volunteering is very important and rewarding,” Ms Osmond said.
Ms Osmond has been a board member of not-for-profit service Miroma Incorporated since 2003 and will have served 20 years on the board this year, including four years as chairperson.
“We look after people with dual disabilities which can include intellectual disability, mental illness and physical disability,” she said.
“When I started there were only a handful of carers, but we have got a really good group of carers now and it has grown to be a big organisation.”
Ms Osmond has been involved in significant decision-making in relation to Miroma’s growth and transition to becoming a National Disability Insurance Scheme service provider.
Miroma CEO Anneliese Bates nominated Ms Osmond for the Senior Citizen of the Year Award and said that her contribution as a volunteer has improved the lives of others.
“Joan’s focus is to ensure the sick and vulnerable are not forgotten and their lives are enriched and comfortable,” Ms Bates said.
“This attitude in turn has assisted Joan to protect her own physical and mental well being.
“Helping others has allowed Joan to become empowered in her own life.”
Ms Osmond was also a volunteer at East Gambier Football Club for more than 40 years, a volunteer and committee member at the Reidy Park Tennis Club, the Kiwanis Club, the Heart Foundation, Mount Gambier Community Health and the Mount Gambier Hospital Auxiliary.
She continues to actively volunteer with the Probus Club and the Mount Gambier Cancer Support Group.
“I will continue to volunteer until they kick me out,” Ms Osmond joked.
Modest and unassuming, Ms Osmond was surprised to receive the call to let her know that she would receive the 2022 City of Mount Gambier Australia Day Senior Citizen of the Year Award.
“I am still in shock and I am greatly honoured to be chosen.
“I just do things and I’m not looking for accolades for it, I love doing it and that is enough for me,” she said.
“Over the years you do get to know different groups of all sorts of people and that’s pretty special.”
More than 100 people attended her 90th birthday celebration in 2019, testament to the friendships she has formed over many decades of voluntary work for the community.
“Joan is admired and respected by so many people in Mount Gambier and the surrounding areas,” Ms Bates said.
“She has a wonderful ability to be able to relate with people of all ages, nationalities, religions and walks of life.
“Our world is a better place because of Joan.
“I do not know of any other individual who has volunteered so actively in the community.
“When you meet Joan you would not realise how much she has contributed over the years as her selfless, unassuming manner belies this fact.”
