“This Honour Roll provides a long lasting legacy to the tireless women volunteers who are the backbone of rural and regional communities, including ours,” said Member for Orange Andrew Gee as he introduced the latest edition of the annual list compiled by the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

“It is a way of saying thank you and honouring what they do – and I fully support this acknowledgement, particularly for the hard working women in our local community,” he said.

“The contribution of Carol, Andrea and Lisa to the Mudgee community is immense and shows the important role that women play in providing support to community organisations, local businesses and of course families.” 

Lisa Ramien is a paramedic and the recipient of a Bravery Award, who set up the ‘Fun 4 Funds’ charity and raised thousands of dollars for new equipment in Mudgee Hospital’s maternity award and Community Health centre.

Ms Ramien only learned of her inclusion when a copy of the Hidden Treasures Roll arrived in the mail, listing her among the 500 women added to the roll in the last five years. 

“There’s some pretty amazing women in there,” she said.

Community service is part of her family legacy – she recalls her father teaching her the motto of the Clan Graham, from which her family is descended: “Ne Oublie” or “Do not forget”, reminding the family to preserve the best traditions of chivalry, bravery and service to others.

Even so, she said she never consciously resolved to become a community treasure; establishing a charity was simply the best way to give back to the facilities that had supported her in the birth of her first child.

“There was no other way that I could say thank you,” she said. “To say thank you and send them some flowers didn’t seem enough.”

Carol Bryant is Mudgee’s only qualified leader of Stage 2 Tai Chi for Arthritis classes, and runs sessions at Mudgee Community Health and a local aged care facility.

“I suppose it’s nice to be recognised, but I just enjoy doing it,” she said.

Ms Bryant said the class participants were such a great group they just became friends.

Andrea Sauerbier’s citation for the Hidden Treasures Roll describes her decades of community involvement, which have included work for Meals on Wheels and Mudgee Crossroads and recent fundraising for Motor Neurone Disease.

She said it had been interesting and encouraging to see what women were doing around the state, but it was also humbling to see what a difference some people could make in their communities.

“It stops you getting swell-headed,” she laughed.

Mrs Sauerbier’s most recent venture was taking part in a walk from Sydney Harbour to Mosman, raising $700 in sponsorship for Motor Neurone research, care and support.

She said her philosophy on community involvement was simply to take up any chances she was given, which leads her into activities as diverse as leading a hiking group or writing a musical.

“You’ve got to look at opportunities that are there and don’t put them off,” she said.