By Jessica Micallef
Kyneton’s Jean Hedington has been recognised for her voluntary contribution to the community.
Ms Hedington was awarded the Council of the Ageing Senior Achievers Award at the Victorian Senior of the Year awards in Melbourne last month.
The 79 year-old said it was an honour to have received the award at a ceremony at Government House.
“It’s exciting. I had known for about two months that I had won an award but they wouldn’t tell me what we won until they gave it to us,” she said.
Ms Hedington is a life member of three organisations – the Kyneton Horticultural Society, Vision Australia and the Kyneton Agriculture Society.
She has dedicated 47 years to the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival and served as the festival’s queen in 2002 alongside her husband Doug as festival king.
In 1982, she was the first Citizen of the Year for the former Kyneton shire.
Ms Hedington has lived in Kyneton for 77 years. She said helping the community was the most rewarding aspect of volunteering.
“You get to know a lot of people,” she said.
“When I go down the street, a lot of people recognise me and talk to me. But I didn’t do it for that. It’s just good to help others. It would be a pretty boring life, I think, if I wasn’t doing even a few of these.”
Ms Hedington said she hoped the younger generations would follow in her footsteps and spend some time volunteering.
“A lot of the organisations are petering out because the young ones aren’t coming to keep them going.”
