THIS year has already been one many Australians would like to forget, thanks to a succession of disasters and major events that continue to impact all of us.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And while there's still a long way to go in the effort to ward off COVID-19 and its ongoing impact to so many Australians' lives and the economy we all contribute to, it's important we continue to look forward, and towards better times.
But maybe, 2020 is also an ideal opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary and selfless efforts rendered by so many of our fellow citizens towards making ours a better place to live and work.
It's always easy to get caught up in the headlines that have provided a window to situations such as the devastating bushfires that saw the year in and of course, the pandemic and its aftermath that continues to extract such a severe toll on populations and countries around the world.
We're a nation that embraces volunteering as something most communities simply could not cope without, and all that time and effort is both impossible to quantify, or put a value on.
But we should acknowledge this, and more.
Australians get to do just that and to reward some of our tireless community champions via the annual Australia Day and Queen's Birthday Honours lists, as well as local citizen of the year awards.
Blink and you might have missed it, but half of 2020 has already passed us by, so it's not too early to think about some of those who have made a significant contribution or sacrifice for the benefit of the rest of us, to whom we'd like to say thanks and well done.
One of the major awards programs - the Australian of the Year Awards, takes its final nominations at the end of this month.
Australian Community Media, publisher of this newspaper, proudly supports these awards and in a year dominated by a couple of big events, it's important not to lose sight of the many good things that happen closer to home that mean so much to our local communities.
If we don't celebrate our own, then who else will?
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.