The 2017 Honour Awards ceremony (R) and Elaine Czulkowski. | Photo: Supplied
People are being encouraged to nominate a LGBTI community member they admire, or a person or organisation they know who has helped the community and deserves to be recognized at a gala awards night.
First held in 2007, the Honour Awards nominations are now open.
They are an annual event celebrating outstanding service and achievements in the state of New South Wales and Australia.
The not-for-profit awards is also a gala fundraising event for LGBTI community initiatives delivered by ACON, a LGBTI health organisation.
‘Every day, people and organisations from right across our community are helping others in all kinds of ways, and the Honour Awards is about acknowledging all kinds of community service, whether big or small,’ said ACON President Dr Justin Koonin.
The awards feature nine categories covering HIV, health, education, business, community, cultural, legal, media, and political sectors.
A judging panel of community peers selects four finalists in each category.
And then a hero comes along
The 2017 Community Hero award winner, Elaine Czulkowski, was a leader in Australia’s marriage equality movement.
She said the Honour Awards help recognize people in a high profile way who work hard for the community.
‘Being recognised and acknowledged by my peers and friends in the community was overwhelming and emotional. I still can’t believe it happened,’ Czulkowski said.
‘There are many people who work tirelessly as volunteers across many different LGBTI community organisations –some of which would not exist if it wasn’t for volunteers – and they do amazing work that help change people’s lives.
‘These people often go unrecognized and the Honour Awards is an opportunity for our community to highlight some of the great work… and say thank you to those that give up their time day after day.’
Nominations are free and can be submitted on the website. Nominations close Sunday 12 August 2018.
This year’s awards will happen at a gala ceremony in Sydney on Wednesday 3 October.
