Frauke – our Citizen of the Year
We are delighted that Frauke Chambers has been recognised as the Cottesloe Citizen of the Year for 2014. The award was announced at the Australia Day Ceremony held at the Cottesloe Civic Centre on a balmy Sunday morning.
We congratulate Frauke on this very well deserved award and thank her for all hours she has put into Cottesloe Coastcare in the last 12 years. She is our current Secretary and initiated and is the driving force behind the regular Sunday working bee. As we all know she has also put in endless hours of work on the dunes planting, weeding, watering and collecting and sorting seed. Keith is the other part of Team Chambers and we thank him for his support and hard work.
Frauke was also recognised for the work she does for the Art Gallery of WA and Sculpture by the Sea. This is the citation for her award:
“Frauke is a significant contributor to the Cottesloe, and wider Perth community, where she gives generously of her time, through a number of organisations and their activities, since retiring from her career as a principle TAFE language lecturer in 2001.
Frauke has been a key organizer and active committee member for Cottesloe Coastcare Association for the past 12 years.
Cottesloe Coastcare Association, an important organization in Cottesloe since 1995, is a local group of volunteers who care for our coast with an aim to achieve a more robust and diverse ecosystem for the Cottesloe foreshore. Focusing on the importance of protecting the few remaining natural areas of Cottesloe for current and future generations to enjoy, the group’s activities range from: collection and propagation of local seeds; replanting of degraded areas; removal of invasive weeds; to providing dedicated walkways through fragile areas. Frauke is the group’s current Secretary, and has been an active and enthusiastic supporter of their monthly working bees.
Frauke is also a regular and dedicated volunteer for the annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition, featured at Cottesloe beachfront. Drawing on her pool of Cottesloe Coastcare Association volunteers, she contributes to the coordination of the daily volunteer roster at the welcome marquee, and in past years, in partnership with the Association for the Blind, she has acted as a tour guide for vision-impaired individuals attending the event.
Since 2002, Frauke has been an active volunteer tour guide at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, and has indicated, that a highlight for her has been as part of the “touch tours program” for vision-impaired individuals. Frauke leads an active and sustainable lifestyle, with the bicycle being one of her primary means of transport.“
Frauke is the fifth Cottesloe Coastcarer to be recognised as a Cottesloe Citizen of the Year. Here is the “Famous Five” – Frauke Chambers (2014), Sue Freeth (2010), Jan Walker (2002), Mike Ewing (2013), Robyn Benken (2001).