Peries IGA Proserpine recognised those making a difference in the Whitsundays’ community last weekend through their Local Hero Award.
The Proserpine store highlighted those working in charity groups, organisations, or services who provide their time to benefit the community.
It is the second year running that the local store has organised the award, with nominations open throughout August.
The winner received a $500 dollar IGA gift card and a plaque as appreciation from Peries IGA Proserpine on behalf of the local community.
Peries IGA Proserpine Merchandise and Marketing Manager Colin Hickey said the award “recognises those people that do a lot for the community and don’t always get recognised.”
“IGA’s motto is: ‘Where Locals Matter’, so we want to recognise people within the Proserpine community for being good locals, especially during Covid, which was where the idea originally began,” Mr Hickey said.
“Peries Group are all about locals and being involved in the community, and we want to recognise those heroes who make the community what it is.”
The IGA Local Heroes Award recognised seven members of the Proserpine community this year : Bryce Fraser, Faye McPherson, Kelsey Fyffe, Ingrid Ruck, Chris Hinschen, and Ailsa Reinke, as well as the eventual winner.
This year’s Winner of Peries IGA Local Hero award went to Elsie Magee for more than 10 years Elsie has worked five and a half days a week as the volunteer manager of the Proserpine Vinnies shop.
She is almost 81 years old.
“In today’s world, few people would show such long-term voluntary commitment on a weekly basis and never seek payment of any kind, so I think the local heroes award would be a wonderful and completely unexpected reward for Elsie,” her nomination read.
Ms Magee said she couldn’t believe she’d been awarded the honour.
“For 33 years I’ve volunteered at Vinnies and I think more people should,” she said.
“It’s given me purpose; I go in there every day. Helping people, meeting them, it’s been some of the most rewarding moments of my life at Vinnies. I think older people should come by and get out of their homes, because they’ll love the people and do something with purpose like I do.”
Ms Magee said that both Proserpine Vinnies and Airlie Beach Vinnies were looking for volunteers, and with the platform of her award – which would go on her mantle at home next to her Citizen Of The Year award from 2000 – she wished for others to become a part of the Vinnies’ family.
