Committee 4 Wagga showcases a decade of achievement
Written by Shri Gayathirie Rajen - article originally published by Region Media here.
30 August 2022
Adam Drummond, Justeen Kirk, Judy Galloway and Mick Quirk at the launch of the Committee 4 Wagga’s 10 Years Strong documentary. Photo: Jaqueline Cooper.
Committee 4 Wagga (C4W) has celebrated a decade of serving the community by launching a documentary to reflect on the journey so far.
The committee was responsible for the Wagga Live New Year’s Eve Party, Lights 4 Lake, introducing CCTV in the city, the Wagga School Leaders program and supporting the introduction of the Riverina Intermodal Freight & Logistics (RiFL) Hub.
At the launch of the documentary 10 Years Strong, C4W also farewelled former CEO Brett Somerville and chair Justeen Kirk, thanking them for their contributions, and welcomed Adam Drummond as the new chair and Scott Sanbrook as the new manager.
The documentary showcases the advocacy group’s milestones and achievements over the past decade.
Co-founder and inaugural chair Judy Galloway said it was tremendous to celebrate a decade given that setting up the not-for-profit organisation had been a huge risk.
“We thought business in the community should have more say about what is going on within the city rather than leaving it up to the three tiers of government,” Ms Galloway said.
“It was a positive move but a hard concept to sell to the community as it was the first in NSW.
“We were lucky to get great support from the community.”
Ms Galloway is proud of the way the committee has supported the young leaders in the community by giving them a voice.
She hopes the committee will continue to advocate for matters that will benefit the community.
“It’s our responsibility to serve our community and everybody else.”
Mr Drummond said it was a privilege to have been appointed chair of the advocacy group.
“The committee has done an outstanding job over the last 10 years and will continue to do so, advocating for the growth and livability of the city,” Mr Drummond said.
“I’m happy to be alongside some of the best people in business and community leadership roles.”
Mr Drummond said he was proud to produce and present the 10th-anniversary documentary.
“I’ve been able to reflect on all the fine moments the committee had achieved over the decade not only as a producer but also as the new chair,” he said.
Another proud moment for the chair was hosting the 2022 C4W Business Summit, which focused on some of the challenges Wagga has faced as it has grown.
“We didn’t just have a talk fest, we had an action fest whereby a lot of conversation and solutions have come out of it.”
Mr Drummond praised his predecessor Ms Kirk and said the importance of C4W could not be understated with its ability to advocate across all three levels of government.
“Even though she’s no longer the chair, Justeen is still referring membership to us, advocating and helping out wherever she can,” he said.
“I’ve got big shoes to fill.”
Mr Sanbrook said he was delighted to be part of a dynamic team in an exciting time for Wagga.
The new manager said C4W’s outstanding leadership had built the foundation for the advocacy group’s success.
“They’ve set the stage, and I aim to live up to the expectations,” Mr Sanbrook said.
Ms Kirk said it was a privilege to be part of an organisation that gave back and worked hard to benefit the community.
While she misses being part of the committee, she said she was also “immensely relieved” to be out of the spotlight.
“I’m glad that Adam (Drummond) is in the role, he does it so much better than I could have ever done,” she laughed.
Former CEO Mr Somerville said he had had mixed emotions after stepping down.
“I’ve enjoyed my brief stint with the committee, everything it stands for and what it has executed over the past decade,” Mr Somerville said.
“It’s a phenomenal achievement for the group, and they’ve got a strong board.
“They can achieve whatever they set their hearts to, and I know they’ve got a few projects coming which are exciting and much needed for Wagga.”