White Pages Covers Program

Wingham’s Donna Carson to feature on the cover of the 2010/11 Taree Yellow Pages® and White Pages®

February 11, 2010

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Each year, locals are featured on the covers of the Yellow Pages® and White Pages® directories in recognition of the contributions they make to their communities. Under the theme Courageous Australians, this year directories producer, Sensis, is recognising courageous people who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to overcome adversity and help others in their time of need.

This year, for the first time, there will be different directory covers for Taree, Port Macquarie and Kempsey, with each directory to feature a local person on the cover.

After receiving nominations from community members for the annual honour, Wingham resident, Donna Carson has been selected, to appear on the cover of this year’s Taree directory which is distributed to Port Macquarie, Forster, Gloucester, Kempsey, Lorde Howe Island, Nambucca, Taree, Wauchope and surrounding areas.

Since being set on fire at 37 by her then boyfriend that caused burns to 65 per cent of her body, Donna has been brave in overcoming the psychological and external injuries she has suffered through domestic violence and is an advocate for others who have suffered similar devastation.

After spending six month in recovery and another 15 in rehabilitation, Donna was determined to go through a long court process to ensure justice was brought to her attacker. The terrible experience gave her a unique education for which Donna applied to help other victims of crime in her local area.

As a volunteer Donna provided the first court support available at her local area, assisting and guiding many through procedures. At the same time she established a victims of crime waiting room with priority given to women and children. Court support and a safe waiting room for victims are now implemented in most courts throughout Australia.

As a Burn survivor she has been a guardian angel and support for many burns patients on their road to recovery.  In 2000, Donna was a founding member of Burn Survivors Network and and she continues to visit homes, hospitals and attend annual Burns Camps, motivating and inspiring others to reclaim a life for themselves.

Being able to overcome her personal hardship and create a path for burns victims to have an active voice in society has been an inspiring and courageous story to many.

For Donna, “It just proves that you don’t have to be rich, famous or powerful to make a difference in your community – you just have to care.”

Distribution of Taree Yellow Pages® and White Pages® is planned to start on 13 February 2010 and it will take approximately six weeks for the directories to be delivered to all households.

Sensis encourages residents and businesses to recycle their old directories. In most areas, Yellow Pages® and White Pages® can be recycled as part of normal kerbside recycling services. Visit www.recyclingnearyou.com.au  to find out about recycling services in your area.

You may also be interested to read about Courageous Australians from neighbouring towns. Congratulations to Terry Giddy, appearing on the Kempsey cover, and Alani Cockshutt on the Port Macquarie Yellow Pages® and White Pages® cover.

Did you know? The past three local people who appeared on the Taree Yellow Pages® and White Pages® cover were:

2009/10: Port Macquarie resident Maureen Cooke featured on the current 2009/10 Yellow Pages^®  and White Pages^® cover under the theme ‘Creative Australians: Inspiring our Communities’. For more than 40 years, Maureen has encouraged the community to embrace the arts by coordinating the weekly Arts Society Markets on the grounds of Manor House.

2008/09: Trevor Sargent appeared on the ‘Celebrating Australian Flavour’ directory cover, where he was recognised for playing a significant role in growing the food and beverage industry in Port Macquarie, by helping to establish the Hastings Farmers’ Market.

2007/08: Norm Morgan from Port Macquarie graced the cover under the ‘Champions of our Community’ theme for his involvement with the Port Macquarie Surf Life Saving Club since 1967.