Karen named Weddin Citizen of the Year for bringing a mountain of joy

The morning's festivities included the recognition of outstanding individuals and groups in various categories, including Community Event/Organisation of the Year, Senior Citizen of the Year, Weddin Community Achievement Award and Weddin Shire Youth Achievement Awards.

The Weddin Senior Citizen of the Year was jointly awarded to Peter Butcher and Mary Corkeron.

Grenfell NAIDOC was awarded the Community Event/Organisation of the Year, while Grace Apps and Amber Atkins were presented with the Weddin Community Achievement Award.

The Weddin Shire Higher School Certificate Award was presented to Annie Armstrong, while Henry Power, Heidi Morely, Nicholas Penfold, Camilla Metcalfe and Xanthe Johnson were presented with Weddin Shire Youth Achievement Awards.

Weddin's 2024 Citizen of the Year, Karen Stuttle moved to Grenfell a little more than a year ago and in that time has spent much of her time in Grenfell forging community connections through the Weddin Mountain of Joy.

The Mountain of Joy program grew out of cooking meals for people while they were in crisis, particularly at the end of 2019 with the outbreak of the Gospers Mountain fires. When they moved to Grenfell, Karen decided to go back to her roots and bring the program with her.

Along with full time work as a teacher in Canowindra, Karen has been cooking and delivering free meals to people around Grenfell and the district every second Saturday.

Weddin Mountain of Joy is not a replacement to other community services such as Meals on Wheels.

Karen said it was a privilege to be named Weddin's Citizen of the Year as she does what she can and tries to keep it sustainable.

Karen said she and her husband believe it isn't always up to government agencies and organisations to help out.

"General, everyday citizens can actually use their own talents and gifts to do more," she said.

"We really encourage others to think what is their talent, what is something easy for them to do that helps another human being. That's what we've always believed.

"Sometimes it is not easy to do," she said. "You've got to make that commitment and remember that there are people in town who are suffering, people who really look forward to that contact."

Karen said it does get tough sometimes but she thinks about those people who really enjoy someone to come visit them and bring them a meal.

Karen said the Weddin Mountain of Joy provides free meals and is aimed at anyone who is going through a tough time.

Since starting Mountain of Joy, Karen said they've had huge community support, verbally and physically, with people dropping off fresh eggs, veggies and takeaway containers for the meals.

"What I love is that it is generating opportunity for others to get involved and actually do something," she said.

What started as a modest program, Karen said it has grown from her cooking 8 meals a fortnight to around 65 meals.

"I'm really excited about this year because I feel like we have to dispel the anxiety that people have about actually putting their hand up and saying 'I need assistance'," she said.

Karen and her husband also established the 'Weddin Mountain of Joy Roadside Pantry.' This weather-protected pantry, hidden by a large tree, provides a discreet location for people in need to access staples.

Weddin Shire's Senior Citizens of the Year Peter Butcher and Mary Corkeron were both surprised to have been nominated and win.

Mary said she feels very privileged to have won the award, and thought Peter would have named Senior Citizen of the Year.

Mary moved to Grenfell five years ago and immediately immersed herself in community life, engaging with many organisations where she could actively support a range of people providing astonishing physical, educational, cultural and spiritual guidance both formally and informally in and around Grenfell.

Mary is deeply involved in St Joseph's parish and school community, the Grenfell Men's Shed, Grenfell Ukestra group, Grenfell Probus, CEF Grenfell and the Church.

Mary said she lived in Canberra for over 20 years and was looking for a rural community to come to and went looking around where Sisters of Mercy had been in the past, and they had previously taught at St Josephs.

"When I came here, it chose me. Somehow I had the feeling this was the right place to come," she said.

Mary said her inspiration comes from the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley, and prior to moving to Grenfell, she had been working in parishes in Canberra and Queanbeyan as well as hospital pastoral care in dialysis units.

"The sisters of Mercy, founded in Dublin, came here to Grenfell in 1887 and taught music and taught at St Joseph's school Grenfell until 1977 so there was a tradition of Mercy presence for 90 years " Mary said.

"Therefore I acknowledge that I am part of that tradition of Mercy doing what Catherine McAuley inspired and one with other sisters in Australia, Papuan New Guinea and throughout the world tend to do beyond retirement from more formal works of Mercy."

Weddin Shire's Joint Senior Australian of the Year Peter Butcher said he was very flattered to have been nominated and to receive the award.

Peter said he got his inspiration to help others from his grandfather as he taught him his values and he always helped others

Peter served in the Australian army for 23 years, joining in 1974 at the age of 24, and was in the Australian Army Reserve for three years prior to that.

Peter has been a member of the RSL Grenfell Sub Branch since 1994 and has been a stalwart of the Grenfell Branch volunteering and assuming the roles of: Trustee, Vice Secretary, Vice Treasurer, and Deputy Welfare Officer.

Peter joined the Grenfell Lions Club in October 1996 and has been a very active member ever since.

Peter was named 'Lion of the Year' in 1999, 2002, 2016 and 2019 for his service to the Club and the Community for his various roles with the Grenfell Lions Club. He is also a volunteer for Meals on Wheels for the Lions Club and St Joseph's Parish and Palliative Care Group in Grenfell.

Peter said he was involved in these groups as he likes to help, and keeping active helps to keep him healthy.