The annual awards program is presented by the Queensland Government, supported by the Commonwealth Bank and WIN Television. This year’s winners were announced at the Queensland Gala Awards Presentation Dinner at the Oaks Oasis Resort at Caloundra on Saturday, November 3rd.
There are six categories in the Regional Achievement & Community Awards.
The Clark Rubber Regional Service Award went to Sharon Boyce of Toowoomba. Suffering a physical disability and confined to a wheelchair, Sharon has a passion to work with children with learning difficulties. She works part time in the early childhood education centre at the University of Southern Queensland. She has worked with Dr Michael Furtardo to run an educational consultancy program “Discovering DisAbility and Diversity”, and has exhibited her acrylic abstract paintings.
Sharon has also written and published an education resource folder called “Another Day in the Life of Sharon Boyce – A Person with a Physical Disability”. She has also written a book designed for ipads titled “Discovery at Paradise Island” which has been converted into a spoken book and a daisy format for the blind. Sharon receives $2,500 thanks to the Commonwealth Bank.
Other finalists from the Toowoomba Region were Toowoomba Clubhouse in the Salvation Army Business and Employment Award (won by Xstrata Mount Isa Mines), and Dianne Auchettl of Toowoomba also in the Clark Rubber Regional Service Award category.
