Judith Kerr and Danielle Buckley, Albert & Logan News – November 25, 2018: 12:00am
LOGAN has many remarkable people, which is why we decided to compile a list of our most influential.
From politicians to sportspeople, scholars to business people, activists to pacifists, Logan has achievers from all walks of life who are making a difference to our lives and the way we live them.
While we can’t acknowledge all the wonderful people in our community, we have chosen the top 30 who have subscribed to Theodore Roosevelt’s aphorism that far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.
There is no denying these people are influential and have worked hard to secure a better future for our community.
The Albert & Logan News, with the help of some judges, has compiled a list of Logan’s 30 most influential people — The Logan Power 30.
9. CATH BARTOLO
The way social services are delivered in Logan, to a large extent, has been shaped by the quietly-spoken Cath Bartolo, chief executive of YFS Ltd.
YFS is a not-for-profit organisation that delivers a range of services to the people of Logan and beyond.
Ms Bartolo has worked in Logan for 25 years as a teacher, a disability co-ordinator and for the past 12 years as YFS chief.
She has been a member of the QCOSS board for eight years and is a member of the Logan City of Choice Leadership Team.
For the past two years, she has chaired the Logan Local Advisory Group for Better Futures, Local Solutions.
The organisation caters for people who are disadvantaged, vulnerable or need assistance to meet the challenges of our complex society.
YFS services include: housing; domestic and family violence; children, family and relationships; disability; money management; legal; mental health; young people; community education and information referral and assessment.
7. TONY SHARP
Tony Sharp is a social entrepreneur turning e-trash into e-treasure.
His innovation, Substation33 at Kingston, recycles electronic waste, resulting in only 8 per cent going into landfill – with steel, plastic, copper and electronics components resold and repurposed for new uses.
Mr Sharp established a specialist team to develop products from recycled materials; such as electric bikes powered by recycled laptop batteries, and flood warning signs which won an Engineers Australia award for innovation.
Substation33 has provided more than 150 first-time jobs and vital skills to unemployed members of the community.
Mr Sharp is keen to encourage other entrepreneurs and runs two hackathons each year; one for social start-ups and the other for Engineers Without Borders.
He also offers an incubator space for young engineers to work on their ideas for free.
He has solved an environmental problem and provided meaningful work and skills for the Logan community.
Generous, positive and incredibly hardworking, Mr Sharp is selfless in his commitment to his community.