Betty Chittick OAM and Emeritus Mayor Sandra McCarthy OAM

Between them, Kiama’s latest Order of Australia Medal recipients have over a century of service to the community under their belts.

While Jamberoo’s Betty Chittick says modestly that most of her work was years ago, she still helps out once a week at the Family History Centre (having started there in 1988), the Jamberoo Golf Club, and her local church fellowship, and has only recently stepped down from the Kiama Show Committee after many years.

Emeritus Mayor Sandra McCarthy’s work for and on behalf of the community shows no sign of slowing down yet. She’s soon off to speak at the Healthy Cities Conference in Taipei, and has championed the establishment of a Bendigo Bank in Gerringong.

Both credit their community spirit to their upbringings.

“My grandfather received an Imperial Service Medal for over fifty years contribution to the public sector, and I learnt at an early age to be involved in the community,” says Sandra.

“I’ve only been able to stay involved to the level I have because of the support of my own family.”

Betty says she’s been overwhelmed by all the congratulations she has received from far and wide.

“I think Betty and I are pretty good at getting people to work together,” says Sandra.

“And it is something that we’ve always loved doing.”