2012-Hidden-Treasures-Honour-Roll

demands, Linda has found time to involve
herself in community activities. She has been
Secretary and Treasurer of Adaminaby P&C for
a number of years, giving countless hours and
energy in fundraising to give local children a
better education. Linda was also the driving force
behind the Adaminaby Youth Group in their effort
to restore the local tennis courts and put down an
all weather surface. She is Treasurer on the Easter
Fair Committee providing input and advice into
all Committee activities. Linda also organises the
selling of 1200 plastic ducks at the Fair (including
checking that each one floats!) As a small
business owner, she never gets to see the Easter
Fair herself except to make sure the pies are the
correct temperature for the Pie Eating Contest.
The Adaminaby Rural Fire Service is another of
Linda’s interests. She is an active member and
also assists in organising the catering for hungry
Fire Fighters when necessary. Linda contributes
so much to our community and when she can find
spare time she goes fishing with her family. We
need to value all women like her.
maree statham [Portland]
Maree was born and raised in the Central West
and from an early age was involved in community
service. Over the past 40 years she has been
involved in fundraising for many groups including
Paralympics, benefits, charities and cancer
organisations. For the past 17 years, Maree has
been Chair of the Portland Art Purchase Society,
which has raised tens of thousands of dollars for
charities including beyondblue. She is also a local
businesswoman running a hairdressing salon and
42 | NSW HIDDEN TREASURES HONOUR ROLL 2012
an etiquette and deportment school. One of her
passions through her business ‘Absolute Edge’
is working with youth – empowering them to
reach their full potential. Her business supports
a range of local fundraising events and Maree
appears as a guest speaker for many not-forprofit
organisations. After losing her beloved
husband Bob to cancer, she has been running
the family property almost single-handedly and
can often be found herding cattle, loading trucks
and lugging feed around the farm. Maree leads
by example both in volunteering and in life. She
is the first to arrive, the last to leave and the one
who puts in the most hours to ensure whatever
she is involved in is a great success. Maree is also
a compassionate person who does not judge a
book by its cover and believes in giving everyone
a fair go. While she has been acknowledged for
her contribution through a number of awards
including the NSW Tidy Town Award for Services
to the Community, a 2011 Volunteering Award
and a 2012 Portland Australia Day Award, Maree
remains humble and never seeks the limelight.
sue steele [South Grafton]
Sue joined the Rural Fire Service as a member
of the Grafton City Rural Fire Brigade in January
1983. She has been involved as an active
Frontline Fire Fighter, Brigade Administrator
and Aviation Support Unit Member during her
29 years of dedicated service. Sue has been
an extremely active Fire Fighter during her
service and has been involved in the majority of
significant bush fire campaigns that have affected
the Clarence Valley including the 1994 North