Briana Ray Earle named Kempsey Shire’s Young Citizen of the Year Nambucca Valley Nambucca Valley - popup ad by News Of The Area - Modern Media - February 2, 2024 Kempsey Shire Mayor Leo Hauville and a beaming Briana Ray Earle, the Shire’s Young Citizen of the Year, STUARTS Point’s Briana Ray Earle has been named Kempsey Shire’s Young Citizen of the Year. At a well-attended Australia Day ceremony at Kempsey’s Slim Dusty Centre, Briana was uncharacteristically lost for words when she was called to the stage to accept the award for the Shire’s Young Citizen of the Year, one of many nominations proffered from throughout the local government area (LGA). Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au A Stuarts Point local for all of her young 27 years, Briana constantly donates her time to help her community’s youth and provide disability support services to our region’s most vulnerable. A foster parent who has overcome adversity in her own life, Briana actively campaigns for better resources and recreation activities for young people. Briana has played a key role organising funding and goods for community Christmas events in the Stuarts Point Foreshore Park, local Halloween events and community garage sales. During Covid restrictions, Briana instigated and promoted the ‘Point Pantry’, a free food sharing spot in Stuarts Point, now a small structure repurposed as the Street Library in Fishermans Reach. Despite her young years, Biana has also created a disability support business, a role it seems she was born for, acknowledged by the trust and adoration generated by young community members who always know that they can go to ‘Aunty Briana’ for help and support. She is also a valued active member of the Stuarts Point and District Community Organisation. The anonymous nominator for Briana’s award commented, “Briana has recently become a foster mum, and those kids are blessed to have her beautiful heart watching over them.” After the Australia Day event, Briana, with her typically sunny smile and demeanor, remarked, “I’m honestly speechless. “The things I do, I do because I love our community and see the children for who they are and want them to have better opportunities than I did so they can prove to the world that they too are worthy,” she said. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you. “Thank you for acknowledging me and the things I dedicate my time to.” By Jen HETHERINGTON Briana is a committed member of the Stuarts Point community.
