Let’s meet our newest Best of the West nominees!
Last week, we introduced our first Best of the West winner, but we’ve also been receiving tons of nominations for some other very deserving difference-makers.
So who will be the next Best of the West?
Have your say by nominating someone you think deserves it, or support one of the following nominees by nominating them yourself.
And then tune in this Sunday 25 September during 9News at 6pm, when we announce our next winner. New winners announced every 4th Sunday after that!
And without further delay, meet our newest Best of the West nominees, as nominated by our very own agents!
What: Best of the West, Sponsored by The Agency and 9News
Where: 9News
When: Sunday 25 September during 9News at 6pm, and every 4th Sunday after that
Our Ruby Girl
The Agency’s very own Jarrad Eaton thinks Our Ruby Girl should be the next Best of the West. Our Ruby Girl is a Como-based cafe that offers employment opportunities and career guidance for people with disabilities.
Sarah Yates opened Our Ruby Girl just over four years ago, driven by her passion for people and hospitality.
‘50% of our staff have disabilities and work with us here in the cafe, both in the front-of-house and also back in the kitchen. We've tried really hard over the four years to create a community and a culture that's incredibly kind and generous, but also one that really helps to grow our staff with disabilities and ensure their success in the workplace.’ Yates said.
Yates says that if they’re named Best of the West, the $5,000 award will help them on numerous fronts. This includes renovating their coffee vans to ensure they’re fully equipped for disbabled staff; expanding their work experience program for students with disabilities; and formalising their mentorship program to prepare their employees for a career beyond the cafe.
You can give Our Ruby Girl a boost by nominating them yourself, or you can nominate someone else you think deserves it by following this link.
Ambulance Wish
The Agency’s Rachel Molini has nominated Ambulance Wish for Best of the West!
Ambulance Wish is a charity that helps palliative care patients and those who are terminally ill to commemorate their lives and values through a celebration with family, friends and community.
Ambulance Wish is entirely donor funded, with no paid staff members. So winning Best of the West would be a huge boost to their efforts. The $5,000 award would allow them to perform at least a dozen more wishes completely, with enough left over to pay for operating expenses.
If you think Ambulance Wish is deserving of these funds, you can throw another nomination their way by following this link.
Harvest Lakes
The Agency’s Nicola Stacey is proud to nominate the Harvest Lakes Residents Association (HLRA) for Best of the West!
HLRA actively promotes community health and wellbeing by caring for the local environment and wildlife in the Harvest Lakes community.
More than 6,000 hours of volunteer work have gone into planting 11,000 plants and establishing solar power and groundwater irrigation, transforming Harvest Lakes from a ‘sandy waste’ into a wonderful green oasis with a beautiful lake as the centrepiece.
And it’s not only the residents that benefit, but also the wildlife. The lake serves as a refuge for a wide variety of water birds during dryer months, and it has become home to a growing population of the endangered Longneck Turtle.
In the process, Harvest Lakes became Western Australia’s first ‘Green Smart’ community. Now, they’re being nominated for Best in the West!
If they’re chosen, they’ll receive $5,000, which they say will go toward promoting community events, such as their annual Christmas Carols by the Lake, and toward traffic flow and lighting initiatives to keep people feeling safe.
If you’d like to give Harvest Lakes your nomination, or to nominate someone else deserving, you can submit your nomination here.