SHE became the youngest councillor to serve the shire at the age of 18 and has been the driving force behind improved youth services and opportunities offered through Wingecarribee Council.
It would be fair to say that Penny George is a young woman with a community commitment and a motivation well beyond her years.
And while Miss George, who is now 23, has stepped down from her role as a councillor, she still has a strong sense of community and a desire to continue working in a political forum where she believes she can make a difference.
Miss George originally stepped up to the plate as a shire councillor in March 2004 after gaining favour from voters as a member of Nick Campbell-Jones’s Time for Change team.
She had intended to be a part of the team just to help out with the campaign and gain some “hands-on experience in a gritty political contest” as part of her political science studies at Wollongong University.
She said her election to council came as a huge surprise.
Not one to shy away from a challenge Miss George set about in her new role to tackle what she believed was a key issue for the Wingecarribee - a need for improved youth services.
She formed the Youth Advisory Council and set her sights on boosting youth opportunities.
“I saw the Youth Advisory Council as a forum to provide a youthful voice to council and a vehicle to provide more youth events,” she said.
For the full story see the Southern Highland News, Monday, September 29
jackie.meyers@ruralpress. com
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