The Rotary Club of Mitchell River has presented its 2026 Pride of Workmanship Awards, recognising local employees for their professionalism, dedication and commitment to high-quality service.
The awards were presented during a dinner held at the Bairnsdale Club, with strong support from local businesses and members of the community.
First introduced to the club’s calendar in 1994, the annual awards have become a key event, acknowledging individuals who consistently demonstrate a quiet, courteous, respectful and professional approach to their work.
Club president Cecilia Estoppey thanked local employers and community
members for their ongoing support of
the program.
“Employers and community members were keen to acknowledge those who serve them so well, and employers were very pleased to be able to recognise the
dedication to their work and the quality of service offered by their employees,”
she said.
The Pride of Workmanship Awards are designed to recognise individuals who demonstrate excellence in the workplace, with selection criteria including work performance, attitude towards colleagues and tasks, quality of service delivery, and personal attributes.
Chair of the evening, Rotarian Darren Goodman, said the recipients reflected the values of the award.
“Those who received these awards this year certainly reflect those standards and, as we heard this evening, go about their job quietly with a sense of service and a desire to do their job well,” he said.
“Congratulations and thank you.”
This year’s recipients were:
– David Williams – Wood Street Windows
– Aleka Hutton – D&F Café (Eastwood)
– Lee Murka – D&F Café (Eastwood)
– Bianca Turner – D&F Café (Eastwood)
– Tasha Woods – D&F Café (Eastwood)
– Brandon Schultz – EVCG P/L
– Lisa Desio – James Yeates Media / Bairnsdale Advertiser
– Grace Kenyon – James Yeates Media / Bairnsdale Advertiser
– Robert Maisey – Dennison Quality Roof Restoration
– Noela Pennington – Animal Aid (EGSC)
The Pride of Workmanship Awards were first developed as a Rotary project in 1975, with the Rotary Club of Mitchell River delivering the program locally for the past 32 years.
While the next presentation is still a year away, the club is encouraging the community to continue identifying individuals who consistently take pride in doing their job well ahead of the 2027 awards.
