Mosman Citizen of the Year announced

A life of service to the local community has seen the Chair of Taldumande Youth Services and former Mosman Mayor Virginia Howard named Mosman’s 2016 Citizen of the Year.

As well as helping to provide services for disadvantaged youth in northern Sydney, Ms Howard is also involved in numerous other organisations, including as a Director of Mosman Branch of the Bendigo Bank, Director and member of the Advisory Board of United Care Northern Region and a volunteer community visitor for Mosman Council.

“Virginia has had a life-long connection with Mosman, growing up in Clifton Gardens and attending and teaching at Queenwood School as well as being Mayor of Mosman Council. In recent years, Virginia has made an enormous social contribution as Chair of Taldumande where she has overseen a major expansion of services to homeless youth across all of northern Sydney including in Mosman. Virginia continues to work tirelessly for the community in a variety of other social works including as a volunteer for Mosman Council,” Mosman Mayor Peter Abelson said.

Another major contributor to the local community, teenager Jerome Dardis, has been named Mosman’s 2016 Young Citizen of the Year.

“A member of the 1st Mosman 1908 Scout Group since the age of eight, nine years later Jerome is still working with younger Cubs children and motivating older unit members to engage in charity and community service,” Cr Abelson said.

Jerome’s other community contributions include assisting children with Cerebral Palsy to compete in the Special Olympics, mentoring other students through the Smith Family and assisting teenagers at the Giant Steps School for Autism.