MELANIE Loomes was on Australia Day last week presented with the Ballina Shire Young Citizen of the Year award.

She was unable to attend the awards ceremony at the Missingham Park amphitheatre, but her proud parents accepted the award on her behalf.

Melanie, a Southern Cross School K-12 student, has a long list of achievements and community involvement.

She has been on the school’s Student Representative Council from 2006-2011, was a member of the State SRC, she was in 2009 chosen to attend a Global Young Leaders Conference in Washington, USA, and she was recently awarded one of 19 International Leo of the Year awards.

Melanie has been awarded a Lions Young Leaders in Service Gold Award, having completed more than 100 hours of community service in a 12-month period.

She has organised and taken part in many community activities like Relay for Life, Girls Night In, Daffodil Day, tree planting day, Clean Up Australia Day, Legacy Day and cupcake day raising money for the RSPCA.