Cook, Clark named Bendigo citizens of the year

Well known local businessman and community leader Robert “Cookie” Cook and young achiever Patrick Clark have been named the City of Greater Bendigo’s Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year for 2012. Robert Cook has been named the Greater Bendigo’s 2012 Citizen of the Year for his contribution to the local community through sport, business and his charitable and humanitarian work.

Mr Cook has shown a great commitment throughout his entire adult life to the local community by assisting those less fortunate especially young people.  In 2001 he founded Bendigo’s Horizon House, an organisation that helps homeless young people. As the current Chairman of Horizon House he is involved in fundraising, community engagement and mentoring.  He takes a hands on approach and personally serves breakfast to high school kids every week from the Horizon House mobile youth canteen. Mr Cook is a life member of Apex and Bendigo United Cricket Club and was named Life Governor of the Bendigo Base Hospital in 1967 when he was only 23.  He served as an honorary probation officer for 19 years and was a member of the Bendigo Salvation Army Committee and Legacy Chapter. He also played a pivotal in the establishment of the Bendigo Football League and has served on the committees of the Bendigo Jockey Club, Bendigo Madison and Bendigo Golf Club. He served 35 years as a member of the Bendigo Advertiser and Win Television Sports Star of the Year Award committee. In 2001 he received an Australian Centenary Medal in recognition of his community service. He was recently invited to take part in a state government housing group to assess the homeless crisis in Victoria which highlights his unique understanding of youth and homeless issues.

Eighteen year old Patrick Clark has been awarded the City’s Young Citizen of the Year Award for his community service and his charitable and humanitarian work. Patrick who completed VCE at Bendigo Senior Secondary College in 2011 is already a strong leader with a passion for issues that affect young people. He has an impressive list of achievements and won the 2011 Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority’s VCE Achiever Award for leadership qualities and commitment to community service.  In 2009 he was selected as one of the top five students at a People to People Global Leadership Summit at the prestigious Harvard University in America where he presented his own community action plan to establish a sister school in Germany. As a student at both Crusoe College and Bendigo Senior Secondary College Patrick was an active member of the Student Council and served as a student ambassador at many important school and community events. He has also worked to assist refugees by organising students to donate unwanted, quality school supplies and text books to a refugee camp on the Sudan Eritrea border. Patrick has also represented the youth of our community as a Board Member of Goldfields Local Learning and Employment Network and as a member of the B-Central Review and Branding Committee. He is the recipient of the 2010 Monash University Award, Australian Defence Forces Long Tan Award for leadership 2010, the Heather Painter Chatfield Memorial prize for outstanding year 11 English students. 

In 2011 he received the Gareth Evans Memorial Economics Prize and won the Bendigo Senior Secondary College student of the year award. Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr. Alec Sandner said he was thrilled to name both Robert Cook and Patrick Clark as this year’s top citizens. “Both are outstanding individuals who have made important contributions to our local community and beyond and deserve this honour. “Robert Cook’s community spirit has been present from a very early age.  Wherever he has seen a need he has rolled up his sleeves to provide support where he can. “He is a kind and giving individual with a genuine concern for the people of the Greater Bendigo community especially young people,” said Cr Sandner. “Our Young Citizen of the Year, Patrick Clark is a terrific ambassador and role model for our young people. “Patrick has a strong sense of social justice and commitment to give back to the community.  He is a wonderful leader and advocate for young people. “The City is proud to award both Robert and Patrick this great honour and I wish both of them an enjoyable and exciting year ahead,” said Cr Sandner.