Three outstanding Casey residents and one volunteer group were recognised for their inspiring contributions to the community at the 2020 Casey Australia Day Awards event on 26 January.
Bassir Qadiri was named the 2020 Casey Citizen of the Year for his advocacy work with Afghan communities, Andrew Pinxt the Casey Senior Citizen of the Year for his local and overseas philanthropic work, and Jessica Vidic the Casey Young Citizen of the Year for her youth-focussed volunteer and mentoring contributions.
The Casey TAC L2P Driver Mentor Volunteers were announced as the 2020 Casey Community Group of the Year for their work in supporting learner drivers to undertake their 120 hours of driving and work towards gaining their licences. The volunteers provide positive adult role models for the younger drivers in our community.
In presenting the awards, Casey mayor Susan Serey acknowledged all the finalists across the four categories and congratulated the winners and nominees for the well-deserved recognition.
“It’s fitting that on Australia Day each year we celebrate the individuals and community groups who give so much to our community and make Casey and our country such a wonderful place to call home,” she said.
“Today we celebrate our nation, our people and what it is to be Australian. Most importantly, we celebrate the many people who give their time, passion and energy to help build a better community.
“I’d like to congratulate our 2020 Casey Citizens of the Year, along with all the nominees for these prestigious awards. Thank you for the contribution you all make to our community.”
Casey Citizen of the Year – Bassir Qadiri
Bassir has been an active, committed and dedicated community member providing support to others since 2009 through the Bakhtar Cultural Association. He advocates for community members with disabilities, Afghan women affected by family violence and those who are isolated due to cultural and language barriers.
Bassir organises Australian cultural awareness programs to promote equity, social welfare and the elimination of violence in the community.
He promotes multiculturalism, harmony and gender equality through regular music and poetry events. With a passion for cultural diversity, he encourages cross-cultural communication, inclusiveness and the understanding of Afghan Australian values here in the City of Casey.
Casey Young Citizen of the Year – Jessica Vidic
Jessica is a mentor for the young residents of Casey. She participates with various
community groups and sets a great example in terms of her service to the community. Her dedication to karate, the Casey Youth Action Committee, Light FM radio station, Berwick Youth Group and the Doveton Show, demonstrates the variety of her volunteering endeavours.
Her energetic presence at these initiatives has had significant impact on their success and her demonstrable passion encourages other young Casey residents to get engaged and participate. She is respected for the time she contributes to community service, which at 18 years of age and while balancing year 12 studies and family time, is an incredible achievement.
Casey Senior Citizen of the Year – Andrew Pinxt
Andrew leads by example and is an inspirational role model serving his community. He established a philanthropic trust that supports organisations within the Casey community, and he has been a Rotarian for over 40 years.
Other commitments have included CFA volunteering, serving as an Elder with his church and working tirelessly with parents of adult children with disabilities to develop appropriate residential care options.
In addition to his local contributions, he has project-managed international endeavours in Tonga: refurbishing buildings and providing a consistent water supply. He also funded a team of doctors and nurses to provide life changing surgery to people in developing counties.
Casey Community Group of the Year – The Casey TAC L2P Driver Mentor
Volunteers The mentors in the Casey TAC L2P program consistently demonstrate excellence, inspiring others and leading by example.
This is shown in their commitment to the program, undertaking volunteer roles for 18 months or more until a learner driver is ready to go for their licence. With a high number of successful probationary licences achieved over the past 10 years, they continue providing their wisdom and advice to those young learners who are most in need.
The program is open to financially disadvantaged young people in Casey who do not have access to a supervising driver or vehicle. Without volunteer input, many of the learners in the program would struggle to get their probationary licence and progress with study and work aspirations.
As well as the learner drivers benefitting, the mentors cite a sense of satisfaction, purpose, increased community connectedness and reduced levels of social isolation by participating in the program.
Special mention
Berwick Athletic Centre and HPNL (Healesville Phillip Island Nature Link) were awarded Highly Commended in the Community Group of the Year category for their great contributions to the sporting and environmental communities of Casey respectively.
