Susan Hobbs of Clear Lake is the 2022 Horsham Rural City Council citizen of the year - her kindness during most challenging times sees her shine brightest.
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Ms Hobbs, a pastor and funeral care coordinator, said she was humbled at being awarded the honour.
She said it took some convincing to get her to accept the nomination.
"It's not the sort of thing I would normally do," she said.
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"I was surprised... I thought other people who had been nominated would have got it."
Ms Hobbs said she saw the Citizen of the Year as a recognition of the community and the things people do together.
"It's an acknowledgement of lots of peoples roles, rather than one person's role," she said,
"There are lots of people in this community who help and do things beyond what they're employed to do and what their role is.
"I'm just one of those people. There are a lot of people who are just there for each other."
Ms Hobbs had been conducting funerals for more than 30 years in her pastoral role with the Horsham Uniting Church and, more recently, the Horsham and District Uniting Church.
Ms Hobbs said her work as a nurse drew her to the needs of people who have experienced loss.
Ms Hobbs said the past year has been challenging for many people.
"Funeral ministry during COVID has been difficult for families," she said.
"Anything we can do to assist them then we will."
During COVID, conducting funerals were particularly difficult, as the government regulations on numbers attending services made it even harder for families to cope with the overall grief.
Ms Hobbs prepared material for families or close friends who could not attend the funeral; material to hopefully assist in bringing some comfort for those family and friends.
Ms Hobbs said her community spirit comes from her parents and her faith.
"We learn a lot from other people and some of what we learn from other people changes our perspectives and changes our horizons," she said.
"And if you listen to or walk with someone else for a while it changes the way you look at the world and your own problems in comparison."
Ms Hobbs represents the Uniting Church in volunteering for Horsham Carols By Candlelight and being the clergy representative at other Wimmera Carols events.
She has also volunteered at the ecumenical 19:14 Family Fun Days and has filled the role of clergy person for the RSL at Anzac Day Services in smaller towns of the Wimmera.
For many years Ms Hobbs has assisted backstage for one of the Horsham dance schools concerts.
She is also a member of the Clear Lake Cemetery Trust and, along with her family, is an active member of her CFA brigade.
Ms Hobbs will be celebrating with her family, marking her fathers 90th birthday.
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