VICKI Wilson may not have been born in Bathurst, but it seems the city has truly embraced her with a nomination and now a finalist nod in the NSW Women of the Year Awards.
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Her work and volunteering across a range of sectors saw her nominated in the Rex Airlines Regional Woman of the Year category.
Now, she has made it to the four finalists and she is asking for your vote.
Ms Wilson has long worked in the rural sector and first made the move to Bathurst in 1985 with Elders in the role of a trainee merchandise manager.
“They’d never transferred a woman to the bush before,” she said.
“I only knew one person in Bathurst … I knew that if I was going to meet people I had to join a group.
“My main sport was swimming and all I wanted to do was play the violin but there was no orchestra, so I joined Rotaract [Rotary’s youth program].”
Since then, her work with community groups has expanded and now includes: Quota, the Bathurst Women’s Network, The Scots School Highland Gathering and Rockley Rodeo committee.
Ms Wilson also has a passion mentoring and empowering young people and has been involved with the Royal Bathurst Showgirl competition for years and recently begun co-ordinating the Young Rural Achiever program.
“I just love people and doing things for people,” she said. “Our family’s just always been like that. I’d put my hands in my pocket to help someone out.
“I get such personal satisfaction from helping someone else out.”
I just love people and doing things for people.
- Vicki Wilson
Ms Wilson said she was overwhelmed and humbled to have been nominated for the award, let alone to make it to the finalists.
The other finalists in the Regional Woman of the Year category include Trangie woman Associate Professor Faye McMillan who is director of the Djirruwang Program – Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health) at Charles Sturt University.
Also, Southern Highlands woman Jan Edwards who forged a successful career in finance, manufacturing and consulting, and Dubbo woman Juliet Duffy who started Regional Enviroscience, an occupational and environmental hygiene consultancy.
Visit Women of the Year Awards online and then click on Rex Airlines Regional Woman of the Year to vote for Ms Wilson.