Wagga NAIDOC Ball recognises Aunty Isabel Reid, Aboriginal community leaders

Local elder Aunty Isabel Reid won a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at Saturday night's event, the first held since 2019.

As well as taking out the 'Innovation Award' with sister Angel Galluzzo for Prickly Lizard Events, Rosie Powell presented Aunty Isabel's award.

"Aunty Isabel is an inspiration and a role model to pretty much all of our community, Aboriginal as well as non-Aboriginal," she said.

"Being able to read out to the room some of her many achievements and the work that she's done for our community and the whole of Australia and stolen generation survivors - it was amazing."

Mrs Powell, whose local company has put on Wagga events like the Marramarra Markets, said she hoped her and others could continue Aunty Isabel's legacy of community work.

"There's a huge group of us in the Wagga Aboriginal community that are working together to make sure everyone has a better future," she said.

"That's what Aunty Isabel has instilled in us."

Wagga NAIDOC chairperson Ashleigh Pengelly said the sold out event "went off without a hitch".

"It was really nice to [Aunty Isabel] her get that award and that recognition locally," Ms Pengelly said.

"The plan was that she would be leaving earlier, given her age. "But I think she was enjoying herself so much she decided to stay."

Saturday night's 'Community Person of the Year' award winner Jasmine Williams has worked in the fields of mental health, youth justice and community work for the last 16 years.

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"It's very humbling," Ms Williams said.

"The work that I do in community isn't about recognition - it's about providing pathways for our future generations.

A First Nations wellbeing coordinator and Aboriginal mental health worker, Ms Williams' work provides a culturally safe environment for wellbeing in the community.

Ms Williams also co-founded Yamandhu Marang, a First Nations youth suicide prevention community action group.

"It was the first time something like that happened in Wagga, as a response to a call for action, and advocacy for our First Nations youth," she said.

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