Cootamundra's Jennifer Roberts has been honoured for her decades of service to the community and particularly to youth.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mrs Roberts has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen's birthday honours list.
Active in the community, Mrs Roberts is best known for founding Cootamundra Amateur Dramatic Arts Society (CADAS) Kids.
A member of the Cootamundra Amateur Dramatic Arts Society since 1960, Mrs Roberts founded the youth version in 1976.
She and her late husband, Hugh, were long recognised in Cootamundra for their dedication to CADAS Kids.
I couldn't have done what I have done without plenty of supporters.
- Jenny Roberts
Mrs Roberts told the Cootamundra Herald she had not expected her nomination for the OAM, but was "rather chuffed for Cootamundra".
"Because, it is not my award. It is recognition for all of Cootamundra," she said.
"I couldn't have done what I have done without plenty of supporters."
Mrs Roberts said the "die was cast" for her involvement with youth theatre when she first moved to Cootamundra in 1960, but she didn't realise it at the time.
After meeting some Cootamundra parents, Mrs Roberts began helping with community projects.
In particular, she worked for three years on a project to raise funds to help with additional services for children with disability.
But, with that effort under her belt, Mrs Roberts got involved in what turned out to be a seven-year project to help raise funds to go towards building a school with specialised facilities for children with disability.
Mrs Roberts has paid tribute to her husband and to their son, Justin, for supporting her efforts over the years.
The former life member of the Arts Council of NSW said the support of her late husband and their son had been vital for her efforts.
"They have supported me all the way through," she said.
Having successfully founded CADAS Kids, Mrs Roberts has extended the group's links with the Cootamundra community.
She has been a volunteer with Cootamundra's Meals on Wheels for more than 30 years and has often had help from CADAS Kids members on this group.
Mrs Roberts was named Cootamundra Citizen of the Year in 1985 and received the Centenary Medal in 2001.
She has also received the NSW Premier's Award for her volunteer efforts.
