Mabel Quakawoot at has been named 2021 Citizen of the Year. Mackay Australia Day Awards Gala Dinner. Picture: Tara Miko  If he s the measure of our next generation of adults, Mackay is in safe hands.  Young Citizen of the Year Emmett Withers started his charity Emmett 4 Animals when he was five years old and has gone on to help thousands of stray animals across the region. The other heartwarming moment of the night was hearing from last year s Lori Burgess Community Volunteer Award Kathryn Andrews. Speaking eloquently and passionately, she talked about how the disability sector, like many of us, had to find a way to explain the lockdown to their clients and find ways to maintain contact while we were in isolation.
Because Mabel Quakawoot doesnât do things for âshowâ.
She does them because theyâre right, and plans to fight on for her next passion â getting Mackay a soup kitchen.
âI like to do things quietly and make sure those people feel comfortable,â she says.
âWhen you help people, they donât want other people to know that youâre helping them, so I go about that quietly and thatâs how I work.
âI donât tell people that I do this or do that but Greg (Williamson) knew that I was in the Womenâs Royal Australian Air Force.â
Fresh air is still available to us.
We have one of the world’s best health services.
Gender is not a barrier.
High quality education as a right.
Our borders are under control.
We trust our legal system.
We expect democracy as a natural right.
We trust our electoral processes.
Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson during the Australia Day awards dinner on Monday night shone a light on how lucky were are in Australia.
Reminding us Australia Day is about celebrating the relative freedoms we enjoy as COVID continues to ravage many countries abroad.
“Aussies have a reputation of being laid back and friendly but this is still a country where hard work, passion and drive will reward you,” he said.
Mackay s 2021 Citizen of the Year Mabel Quakawoot has been many things to many people - an active citizen, an educator, a mentor and volunteer. Her tireless efforts for the community were recognised at a gala dinner at the MECC on Monday night. Young Citizen of the Year went to Emmett Withers and the Lori Burgess Community Volunteer Award winner was Russell McLennan. Emmett Withers began his charity Emmett 4 Animals when he was five years old and has gone on to help thousands of stray animals across the region. Russell McLennan works tirelessly behind the scenes at Volunteer Marine Rescue Mackay, having been involved with the group since 1977.