Community Achievement Awards

Les has been involved in some capacity with community work since he was young. He has had strong influence in the disability field and has given enormously to ensure that the City of Melton is inclusive and accessible for people living with disability. Les has established groups and held board member positions for a number of disability services.

Les has also been a key member of the Melton Lions Club, being involved in many fundraising initiatives for the community.

He is a regular Friday night volunteer at ‘The GAP on Graham’ youth centre, where he enjoys providing and facilitating a range of services and activities for Melton’s young people. Les has volunteered for the past 3-4 years as a driving mentor with the L2P program, assisting underprivileged young people to gain the 120 hours of driving practice that they require to get their Probationary Licence.

And more recently, Les joined the Harkness Cemetery Advisory Group, where he is supporting the ongoing development of a new cemetery in Harkness. 

Shilpa is a passionate young person, addressing life in a positive manner while overcoming many challenges and embracing her cerebral palsy.

Through her business, Australian Integrated Marketing and Merchandise Services, Shilpa provides a platform for other people with disabilities to sell their products, earn an income and boost their morale. They put together hampers for occasions such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Valentine’s Day and personally deliver them to people in the community that they know are going through difficult times.

Shilpa is a role model for many individuals. She advocates publicly for the disability sector and is involved in many community events.

John has been an integral part of Specialist Hoops basketball program since 2020 – an organisation that provides a safe, non-judgmental environment for those living with disabilities to participate in sports.

John is constantly looking for new ways to engage participants and works to provide the best experience and opportunity for participants to play basketball both on foot and in wheelchairs.   John actively communicates and builds relationships and is always seeking new ways of teaching and ways to adapt to different situations and challenges that individual participants may face.

John brings fresh ideas and finds ways to include people living with disabilities, so no one gets left behind and proves that inclusion is possible.

Daphrose is a proud founding member of the Iteka Youth Organisation and is often seen performing for Club Iteka – Burundian dance group. Daphrose networks with the wider community to secure events and performances for Club Iteka to share their cultural dance and heritage.

Daphrose is a Year 12 Student leader at Staughton College and has proven to be a fantastic role model to her peers and younger students. She has grasped all opportunities provided to her during her schooling.

Murray has been an active member of the RSL for more than four decades, and in recent years he has been a driving force in the development and operations of the Caroline Springs RSL.

Some of Murray’s contributions to the Melton community include being the co-founder of the Caroline Springs RSL Sub-Branch; acting as a Pensions Advocate for Veterans at Melton Vietnam Veterans Centre; initiating proceedings for the first Memorial at Caroline Springs; being caretaker of the Memorial Walk in Aintree; and being  a key support person for the Burnside Village War Widows Group.  Murray’s decades of service have helped hundreds of veterans and their families receive both support and recognition for their sacrifice. 

Grace Jikotani
Grace is a youth leader for Melton’s Fijian community who has ensured that their young people meet regularly and share their stories so that they can learn from each other, appreciate their culture, and become good role models to others in the City of Melton. She has led the BULA Meke youth group, an entertainment group that showcases the proud and rich culture through traditional Fijian dances.  Grace has led the cultural group to represent the Fijian community at events such as Djerrwarrh festival, Dream Big festival, Harmony Day and other local community events in Melton. 

Ivanka Portelli
During the periods of metro Melbourne’s COVID-19 restrictions, Ivanka worked hard to try to reduce the sense of social isolation and loss of connection for many individuals and families.  Throughout lockdown Ivanka was going door to door delivering care packages to families in Caroline Springs. Each package was hand crafted with individualised notes containing kind and encouraging words and self-care tips. This allowed people to feel connected and a little less alone.

Ornella has been instrumental in the creation of Club Iteka, a Burundian dance group that aims to share Burundian culture with young people and keep them connected to their roots.

Ornella's passion and leadership has inspired many young girls to join the group, as well as bringing the culture alive to the wider community.  Ornella is a passionate advocate, leader, and cultural ambassador for her community and continues to raise awareness of the beauty of the Burundian culture and dance.

Margaret has made a significant contribution to her local community and the Zonta Club of Melton. She has worked tirelessly in support of several initiatives designed to empower women, improve their self-esteem, and initiate change.

Her activities have been as diverse as co-ordinating sewing classes at the women’s prison, supporting the provision of birthing kits and breast care cushions, or her involvement in events such as 16 Days of Activism and White Ribbon Day. Margaret’s activities are underpinned by the belief that by empowering women, we build a stronger and more connected community. 

Michelle has been a strong advocate for supporting people with disability to gain their confidence and independence and become active members in the community.

She actively works to identify barriers to inclusion for people with a disability and improve their participation in, and connection to, their community.  She is involved in Melton’s Care Expo, has worked at developing employment, education, and training opportunities, as well as liaising with key organisations to improve participation and facilities for people with a disability.