On Thursday morning, at the Australia Day Awards ceremony, he was in shock.

“It was a big surprise and I am humble about receiving it,” he said.

“I would like to thank my family, my employer, the BH Club, the Rotary Club of Port Pirie and my friends.

“I think there are a lot more

worthy people than me.”

He was recognised for his work as coordinator of the Smelter’s Picnic for the past 23 years and involvement on committees and community groups including Rotary, Clubs SA, the Christmas Pageant Committee and Driver Reviver Committee.

When three-year-old Chad Norton died in a house fire, Mr Nichols coordinated the fundraising efforts which had a tally of $5000.

He was Rotarian of the Year in 2000 for his work on the Where Are They Now? project with The Recorder.

Mayor Brenton Vanstone said Mr Nichols was an outstanding person.

“Graham’s sensitivity and community spirit clicked into gear and with Cheryl Williams, he proceeded to organise donations and clothing and furniture for the family who had lost everything in the fire,” he said.

Pilot Sam Thomson won the Young Citizen of the Year award.

He is “living the dream” of being a pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force and won a position in the Sir Ross and Keith Smith Fund scholarship in 2009.

He became the first scholarship student to gain a pilot’s licence and the first to fly solo in the scholarship phase.

He was chosen for a position in the air force in 2010 while completing Year 12 at St Mark’s College and is now studying a Bachelor of Tech-

nology degree.

“Sam is living proof that it is not a disadvantage growing up in Port Pirie and studying locally,” Mr Vanstone said.

“He has proved that anything is possible with hard work and determination and the support of a loving family.”

Mr Thomson thanked those who had supported him.

“I was quite surprised and humbled by it,” he said.

The Port Pirie Softball Association took out the Community Event of the Year award for its fifth State Junior Championships.

Mr Vanstone described the event as both “professional” and “first class”.

State Junior Championship coordinator Bev Argent said the award acknowledged the effort of the Port Pirie softball association in hosting five championships.

“I would like to thank the softball association in particular for having the vision and the belief that we could do five State championships,” she said.