Allan Turner, the co-founder and managing director of Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation, was named the winner at the gala event in Melbourne on Saturday, October 17, after being nominated as a finalist alongside four others.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Turner said he appreciated having his name on the award, but that it belonged to his daughter, Zaidee.
“Without Zaidee there would be no foundation, no rainbow laces and no campaign,” he said.
The foundation that grew out of tragedy had led to triumph, with more than two million pairs of laces being sold or given away, worn by sporting teams from the most elite to grassroot levels.
Mr Turner said the night was fantastic, as he took the opportunity to give away 280 pairs of laces to everyone in attendance.
“By the end of the night, there weren’t any laces left on tables,” he said.
Speaking to The News before the awards, Mr Turner said the nomination had helped keep Zaidee’s legacy alive and reinforced the message that organ and tissue donation still needed to be pushed into the community.
On November 8, Zaidee would be turning 29.
On December 2 it will be 22 years since she “grew her angel wings”.
Two other Goulburn Valley finalists were recognised at the awards.
Mooroopna’s Shannon Drake, of Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative, was a finalist in the same category as Mr Turner, while Shepparton’s Ganbina was a finalist in the Beyond Bank Community Group Award.
