Exceptional service honored at Ganbina
Friday, 21 September 2007

Ganbina Chairman Neville Atkinson (2nd left) pictured with Ganbina Exceptional Service Award recipients (from left) Paul Briggs, Sylvia Geddes, Julie Trevaskis, Jim O’Connor, Karen Mohamed, Jim Andreadis and John Corboy.

Ganbina recently acknowledged some of the people who have been instrumental in the organisation's success in the past 10 years.

Several people were honored at the Ganbina 10 Year Anniversary gala dinner on August 31 when the Ganbina Exceptional Service Awards were announced.

Board member Felicia Dean proudly announced the recipients and more than 80 people joined in congratulating them.

"The Ganbina Exceptional Service Award is the most important award in the life of Ganbina and recognises those individuals who have had exceptional and outstanding contributions to Ganbina and its programs," Felicia said at the dinner.

The award recipients were Jim Andreadis, Graeme Breydon (posthumously), Jim O'Connor, John Corboy, Sylvia Geddes, Julie Trevaskis, Karen Mohamed and Paul Briggs. The dinner was a wonderful success and everyone who attended enjoyed the evening.Ganbina chairman Neville Atkinson said more recently our focus has not only been about employment but how to better position our youth to take advantage of the opportunities that arise.

"Whilst we cannot and do not claim sole responsibility, it is not by mere coincidence that overall Indigenous secondary school retention rates have increased from 24% to 34% in the last two years when our programs have been operating." He said Ganbina's success of past, present and the future also rests with the unique relationships Ganbina hold with business and industry, community and philanthropic partners.

"I can remember when I was growing up, the discussions around the kitchen table about the great inequity that inhibited our people. Those words have been echoed throughout the years and are still relevant today, but the difference I see compared to my younger years is that Ganbina has empowered our youth and their families to take greater control of their future through the foundations of education, training and employment."