Lilliana Abel received the Young Australian of the Year Award for the Pyrenees Shire
A CFA volunteer with a passion for helping her local community has been honoured with a local Young Australian of the Year Award.
Lilliana Abel, from Waubra Fire Brigade, was presented with the Pyrenees Region’s Young Australian of the Year Award at a local ceremony on 26 January.
As well as volunteering with CFA, Lilliana has spent her life connecting with her community through local fundraising and events.
“I’ve volunteered with CFA since I was 16, so around five years now. I also do a range of things within the Waubra community like helping to organise events and helping out the community however I can.”
In her role at CFA, Lilliana is the Training Deputy and Community Safety Officer, and uses this as another chance to connect with the local Waubra community.
“As part of my role as Community Safety Officer, I go to the local schools and kindergartens and teach the kids about fire safety and the role that firefighters play, which is so important.”
Lilliana is passionate about people getting involved in CFA and encourages everyone who is interested to check out their local brigade.
“Being a CFA member is such a valuable experience,” she said. “It teaches you a lot about teamwork, communication and handling high-stress situations – which you don’t always get to experience in normal life.
“I think with COVID we’ve really discovered how much it means to be a community and come together, and just how important it is to help each other out.
“I’d encourage anyone who wants to, to go and chat to their local brigade and join up. You don’t have to be an active firefighter if you don’t want to, there are so many ways you can support a brigade without jumping on the back of a truck.”
Lilliana said she was honoured to receive the award.
“It means a lot. I honestly wasn’t expecting it, so I think it’s great that the community appreciates the work I do. It means I’m doing something that’s making an impact, and I love that.”