Dianne Divola has been awarded Kooweerup’s Australia Day Citizen of the Year for 2022 after playing a key role in many community groups within Kooweerup for the last decade.
Those involvements include being president of the Kooweerup Senior Citizens Club for the last 10 years and through her involvement with the CWA, the Kooweerup Regional Health Service Ladies Auxiliary, the Community Advisory Committee to the Health Service, the Forget-me-not Café and Heart Foundation Walking Group.
Dianne is someone who doesn’t just lend a hand, but who is prepared to step up and take responsibility.
She is prepared to get involved at any level, from CWA state meetings, to op shop duties for the seniors and auxiliary to sitting in a bath in a field of cows for a calendar photo shoot.
Nothing seems to be too much trouble for her.
Dianne has been a very hands on president at the seniors.
She organises social activities: bus trips, movie days, lunches and in-house activities for the club and makes sure everything runs smoothly.
On bus trips, she makes sure that the less mobile members are looked after and that everyone is included.
She keeps things running smoothly, always remembering the little things that would otherwise fall through the cracks.
Through the years, Dianne has taken part in every single volunteer run event from local events like Scots on the Swamp, catering for the Holden Proving Ground, Kooweerup Primary School Mother’s Day events, St Johns’ fete and Music on the Grass right through to state wide events like Victorian CWA craft fairs, annual state meetings and Gippsland group planning events.
Dianne is an important member of the Win Pankhurst Memorial Scholarship committee which provides a scholarship to a local Grade 6 student moving into high school.
Dianne has been an integral part of the Kooweerup CWA since 2016. Warm and welcoming, Dianne provides a wonderful atmosphere for new members of the group and a balance within the branch with advice and guidance to younger members from her years of experience.
Whilst many people refuse to join the CWA as they believe it is all scone and cake making, Dianne made it clear on joining that she is not a baker and would help in other ways.
Dianne is an important member to our local branch, not only helping them find a home, but as strong delegate to many of the state meetings.
Not mincing words, Dianne is always ready to back up her opinion at state meetings with community driven examples, providing transparency of what is happening in our rural community.
Dianne proves time and again that her priority is the region and the Kooweerup community.
The branch is excited that Dianne has been presented with Kooweerup Citizen of the Year and whilst her asparagus rolls continuously get praise at any morning tea she helps cater for, it is nice to praise the hardworking, dedicated, community driven person for all the contributions she has made throughout the years.
