Member for Orange Philip Donato has once again hosted the Orange electorate’s annual Community Recognition Awards which saw 18 individuals and organisations from the Parkes Shire honoured for their dedication and achievements in their specialised fields.

Held at the Australian National Field Days Function Centre in January Mr Donato congratulated and celebrated 97 award recipients in total from across the electorate.

These people and groups were acknowledged for their outstanding service to the community or for significant personal and professional accomplishments.

Mr Donato personally presented certificates to each recipient as part of the ceremony.

“Our region is built on the strength of its people, and these awards are about recognising those who give their time, skills and energy to make our community a better place,” he said.

“Whether through volunteering, leadership, service or personal achievement, each recipient has made a meaningful difference in the lives of others.”

Each certificate presented was formally endorsed with a speech delivered by Mr Donato in the NSW Parliament, ensuring recipients’ contributions were officially recognised on the public record.

“Every year this event highlights just how fortunate we are to live in a community where people genuinely care about one another," Mr Donato said.

“The stories behind these awards reflect the generosity, resilience and community spirit that define our region.

“Many of those recognised today go about their work quietly and without expectation of acknowledgement, which makes it especially important that their efforts are celebrated by the community they support."

Red Bend Catholic College 2025 graduate from Parkes and gifted science student Leah Van der Merwe was among those recognised on the day.

Leah, as many may know, was the only Australian student selected to attend the prestigious CERN-Solvay student camp in Geneva, Switzerland last October.

"This is an amazing achievement in itself," Mr Donato said.

From 2500 applications from 120 countries, Leah was among the 30 students selected to take part in the week-long international camp which is famous for fostering the talents of young scientists aged 16 and over.

During her time in Switzerland Leah visited various research facilities and conducted hands-on research at the CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory.

Stay tuned, the Champion Post will be running details of each award recipient over the coming weeks.