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Coraki has turned on an exceptional day for patrons as the community came together to celebrate Richmond Valley Council’s Australia Day events.
Coraki Memorial Park, nestled against the banks of the Richmond River, provided an incredible backdrop as locals watched the citizenship ceremony and award announcements.
Richmond Valley Council changes the location of the event annually and Coraki did not disappoint with more than 30 market stalls also on offer to attendees.
Paul Bengtson, Stuart Holm and Lachlan Coe were recognised as the citizen, volunteer and young sports person of the year respectively.
Meanwhile, Coraki welcomed Afrel Newman, John Libiran, Rowena Innes and Jinapat Munro as Australian citizens.
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The Coraki community came out in their droves to celebrate in Australia Day and partake in celebrations to welcome new citizens and recognise existing ones.
Richmond Valley Council’s celebrations welcomed four new citizens to Australia while awards were also given out for Citizen of the Year, Young Sportsperson of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.
Rowena Innes, Jinapat Munro, Afrel Newman and her son John Libiran were presented with their Australian Citizenships. Afrel Newman and her son, John Libiran after getting their Australian Citizenship. Photo: Adam Daunt
Afrel Newman and her son John Libiran have been in Casino for seven years after immigrating from the Philippines.
Joyce Bengtson (March 12, 1930 â December 14, 2020) was born in Locust Grove, OK, to Charles and Mary Rogers, their only child. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Paul Bengtson, and is survived by her children, Brenda Bengtson (and Jesse Overmann) of Hamilton, VA, John Bengtson of Gilbert, AZ, and Andrew Bengtson (and Jeanie Tietjen), and grandson August Bengtson of Medford, MA. She is also survived by her uncle, John Hay of Siloam Springs, AK, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
She graduated from McPherson HS in 1947 and began working as a switchboard operator for Bell South. She met her future husband, Paul, in 1948 at a soda fountain, and they were married the following year. She continued working to support them as he earned his college degrees. After staying home to raise their children, she returned to the workforce as a shop-at-home representative in interior design for Woodward and Lothrop, a Washington DC area department store. With her excep