She’s either observing people or surrounded by them; but with a recent announcement of her Citizen of the Year title, nowadays, it’s usually the latter of those two.
It’s been many years since Mrs Wellington moved to Rushworth.
Before Rushworth, she faced the constant challenge of uprooting her life every two years, following her husband Mike’s army postings — a lifestyle that made it difficult to form lasting community connections.
So, when Mrs Wellington moved into a house walking distance from the main street of Rushworth, she was determined to make this her community.
To do so, she made herself a familiar face in town.
She dedicates her time to the local op shop, where proceeds support the Food Bank.
There, she manages weekly rosters, and engages customers with a warm smile and friendly conversation.
She is an avid artist, and runs a monthly embroidery class where she said she encouraged everyone to “go crazy” with textiles.
In line with her artistic endeavours, she and her friend Lyn Rumble formed the Rushworth Artists Group to promote artistic endeavours around town.
Mrs Wellington has also been part of many committees over the years, including the Easter Heritage Committee, the events committee, the hospital committee and more.
She is also instrumental in decorating the town at Christmas, organising decorations that light up the town in December.
When not immersed in committee work, showcasing her artwork or volunteering at the op shop, Mrs Wellington can often be spotted on High St.
“The street is my second home,” she said.
“I’m a firm believer that what you put into a community, you get out of it.”
On Sunday, January 26, she was officially crowned Rushworth’s Citizen of the Year and sworn in by one of her closest comrades, Mrs Rumble.
“For those of you that know her — you understand what we mean,” Mrs Rumble said.
“She’s an absolute treasure — she’s for our town.
“I think we would all agree, there is no-one more worthy of the Citizen of the Year award.”
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