Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Saturday was the 33rd annual City of Shoalhaven Eisteddfod Stars of the Eisteddfod performance. The opening act by the dance troupe from Batemans Bay Public School was so good that I thought the dance was done by the high school students. In his very professional and practised style, George Windsor OAM steered the audience through a concert of the best acts taken from dance, folk, instrument, speech and drama. There were a number of award winners: Jeremy Lindsay was the teenage piano champion and also won the Rotary Club of Nowra Lindsay Fowler Memorial Scholarship; Patil Kourshounian was the junior piano champion; Aleah Gooding was the junior solo vocalist at only 10 years of age with singing that was absolutely beautiful; Denva Dwyer, a student from Amy Evison's dance school, won the Shoalhaven Arts Board Medallion, which was a very well deserved award for being an outstanding emerging and inspiring dancer; and Rosie Ellery was recognised with the $500 Gilmore Award for her outstanding contribution to the Eisteddfod and encouraging performing arts in the Nowra Christian school.

Illaroo Road Public School won the $1,000 school encouragement award in recognition of hard work, promotion and encouragement of performing arts in the school. Some other great performers included Jaslyn Mackenzie from Milton. And an entertaining and well-executed version of 'The Three Little Piggies' made us all laugh, and was recited by Adrian Le and Lucas McDonald, also from Milton.

The talent and creativity of our local residents was terrific. I am so proud of our volunteers, helpers and organisers and, most of all, of George.