By JESSE GRAHAM
A HEALESVILLE community member with a giving attitude was recognised for his generosity with a certificate in the annual Yarra Ranges Council Australia Day Awards.
Michael Halligan received his certificate in the 26 January award ceremony at Yarra Glen Memorial Hall for his work in supporting local Rotary clubs and other organisations over the past four years.
In the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009, Mr Halligan assisted the Healesville Rotary Club by providing trailers for emergency centres.
In the years since, he has donated trailers to numerous raffles, fundraisers and community groups, with a recent example his donation of a custom trailer to Chirnside Rotary, to carry wheelchairs for children in disadvantaged countries.
He said that the certificate of recognition came out of the blue, and that his aim had only been to contribute to his local community through his donations and work in recent years.
Mr Halligan runs Michael’s Trailers in Hunter Street, Healesville, with his son and son-in-law.
The Yarra Ranges Australia Day Award winners are:
Citizen of the Year: Tanya de Visser.
Young Citizen of the Year: Lily Belle Hellicar.
Community Group of the Year: HICCI.
Environmental Achiever of the Year: Jean and David Edwards.
Ken McIntosh Memorial Award (Young Environmental Achiever of the Year): Georgia Grimmer.
Mayor’s Lifetime Achievement Award: Phyllis Dixon.
Ian de la Rue Award for Community Leadership: Norman Orr.
Certificate of Recognition recipients: Judy Thorburn, Michael Halligan.
The Mail would like to congratulate all the winners of the Australia Day Awards.
For more information on the winners, visit mail.starcommunity.com.au.
