Valerie (Val) Axtens became secretary of the Lismore Eisteddfod and Musical Society in 1982, and she’s still doing it in 2020. 

Her 28 years of dedication was honoured yesterday in the Lismore Citizen of the Year Australia Day ceremony at Lismore City Hall, when she received an award for her work in arts and culture.

It’s not the first time the 88 year old has won an award - she was named Lismore citizen of the year in 2003.

“I did a lot more things then, it was a broader award,” she said. 

She’s always had a love of drama and theatre and her Musical Society role is to “pull together the different strands” of an annual event that brings together young people to play music and dance. 

These days, she’s not just secretary, but treasurer as well. 

“Thirty 30 years when I began, I had no idea whatsoever and I had to learn what to do the hard way,” she said. “These days with computers, if you make a mistake can go back and fix it – much easier than using stencils in the old days.”

“I’m a backroom person, not the up-front one. Every organisation needs one and we have a wonderful president and committee.

“Doing the Eisteddfod work is a wonderful opportunity for me to do something - and the older you get you need to have something that encourages you to do things.

 “I’m 88 now and it provided me with energy. I have a love of seeing the children dance and grow, and a love of music, and I’m persistent and love doing it.

“I’ll keep being secretary as long as I can, but I’m not as spry as I was.”

Val said every year, the Musical Society's Eisteddfod provides a stage for amateur performance “where young people perform and get written support and encouragement for the work they are doing” – and the winners get a prize, which gives them encouragement to persevere. 

“It’s beautiful to see children from tiny tots to ten year olds perform, who have learning dancing for five years already,” she said.

“The teachers involved are wonderful and know that it needs patience and perseverance to increase the quality of the students’ work - and that carries through in their confidence with themselves when they move on to whatever they do afterwards.

“Their parents tell me it gives them an awareness of culture and music.

“We all love music it’s a wondrous thing – we can even hear it in our mothers’ bellies - the rhythm of life. From the very beginning, music itself encourages the use of the brain matter between our hemispheres.”

Valerie said the Lismore Eisteddfod and Musical Society began in 1908.

“There was only five years we missed the Eisteddfod because of the great war,” she said.

“In 1915, all the Eisteddfod money raised went to the red cross, then in 1921 it began again.

“The first one was held in the Star Court Theatre when it opened in 1921, and it stayed there until after World War 2, them it was held in different venues. 

“I didn’t come to Lismore till 1960 and I joined the Musical Society in 1979. In 1982, they asked me would I like to be secretary and I loved it. 

Val said this year’s 21-day long Eisteddfod will be held in September at Lismore Workers Club.

“It’s great that Lismore becomes a centre and people come from here from as far as the Gold Coast,” she said.

“Schools are encouraged to enter children into choirs and bands to perform - including five minute performances where they play from their own imagination.

“We also encourage teachers to think about putting a student in for the three and five minute dances– it also means the young people will need extra lessons to get ready for it. 

“And we are always desperate for sponsors to help us to pay the rent."

Read more about other citizens to receive awards in the Lismore citizen of the year Australia Day ceremony: David Henderson named Lismore City Council's Citizen of the Year