Taleise Pickavance and Jason French have won the main awards to complete what has been described as Orange’s biggest NAIDOC Week celebrations.
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Ms Pickavance was awarded the Female of the Year and the Female Sports Person of the Year at the NAIDOC Awards ceremony last weekend.
They were particularly important awards to win as this year’s theme, ‘Because of Her, We Can’ honoured Indigenous women.
The Orange woman, who works as an Aboriginal education worker at a school in Bathurst, said she was delighted with the awards.
“It was a good feeling, it kind of reassures me I was on the right path,” she said.
“My mum [Danielle Annesley] has influenced me to be more cultural.”
She has also been involved in the mentoring program for Aboriginal students, Strong Moves.
Ms Pickavance said she was involved in netball and touch football both as a player and a coach.
It was a good feeling, it kind of reassures me I was on the right path
- Taleise Pickavance, NAIDOC award winner
She said she would also be the junior umpiring convenor for netball next year.
President of the NAIDOC Week committee Gerald Power said Mr French was a “very well deserving” winner of the Male of the Year, the Black and Deadly award and Male Sports Person of the Year awards.
“He was one of the initial guys who started it [NAIDOC Week celebrations in Orange] up,” he said.
Mr Power said he was involved in the United Club which encouraged Indigenous children to play sport, particularly basketball and netball.
“It’s about engaging with the Aboriginal children and take them from wandering the streets to playing sports.”
Mr Power said the Elder award was won by Aunty Mary Parker for her community and schools work.
“Aunty Mary Parker is one of the silent achievers in the community,” he said.
“She’s just one of those wonderful people in the community people respect. It sits well within the theme of ‘Because of Her, We Can.”
Mr Power said it had been a successful celebration.
“Overall, I’m hearing reports from people saying we have taken it to another level from last year,” he said.
“Black, white or brindle the whole community was involved.”
He said planning would start soon toward next year’s celebrations.
“We’re always accepting of any ideas. We’re happy to receive any feedback. It’s a community event,” he said.
2018 NAIDOC AWARD WINNERS
- Female of the Year: Taleise Pickavance
- Employee: Luke Barnes and Donna Monaghan
- Trainee/ Apprentice: Lindsay Hall and Telisa Smith
- Service: Winner Designing Futures
- Male of the Year: Jason French
- Black and Deadly: Jason French
- Male Sports person: Jason French
- Female Sports Person: Taleise Pickavance
- Female of the Year: Taleise Pickavance
- Community Program: Western Alliance Ability Links
- Elder: Aunty Mary Parker
- Community Volunteer: Helen Worsley
- Young Sports Person: Male- Lachlan Cook
- Young Sports Person: Female- Millicen Klaare
- Young Black and Deadly: Male- Callan Naden
- Young Black and Deadly: Female- Erin Naden
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