St Clair Community Front of Mind for Travis

St Clair Recreation Centre Stadium Sports Coordinator Travis Beard made it back-to-back YMCA South Australia Awards victories, adding the 2021 Community Partnerships Award to his 2020 Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Young Employee at the YMCA staff awards on Saturday, 28 September.

The annual awards event celebrated the extraordinary effort and achievement of the organisation in another year that provided many challenges as the state continues to deal with the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.

Travis’ award recognises his dedication to maintaining best practice and effort to grow recreation participation through engagement with all sectors of the local and wider community. He said it was a thrill to receive the award and also acknowledged the wider Y team.

“There’s a lot of people doing great work around the Y but with this said, it’s great to be acknowledged for my work in this way,” he said.

“(YMCA South Australia CEO) David Paterson was great in helping me to create links within the community, while my previous manager, Scott Lampshire, was always supportive and encouraging of my ideas. My current manager, David Couch, has continued this encouragement and help.”

Highlights of the 2021 awards included Whyalla Recreation Centre’s announcement as the Jack Massey Team of the Year, together with dual recipients of the George Williams Employee of the Year award – Elysse Hirschausen (Fleurieu Aquatic Centre) and Michelle Haine (Children’s Services).

Other award recipients included: Petra Majchrak (The Parks) – Excellence in Operational Management, Stacey Hazelwood (Craigmore OSHC) – Emerging Leader of the Year, Claudia Barrietos (Fleurieu AC) – Engaging Future Minds, Carers Wrist Band Program (Fleurieu AC) – Excellence in Innovation, Laura Cannon (Unley OHSC) - Outstanding Contribution by a Young Employee, and Youth Theatre (The Parks Theatre) – Program of the Year.