Weddin Shire Council is pleased to announce an inspiring change to this year’s Australia Day celebrations in Taylor Park, Grenfell, on Sunday, 26 January 2025.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the originally scheduled Ambassador, Mr. Yianni Johns, is unable to attend.
However, Council are delighted to welcome Karen Stuttle, last year’s recipient of the Weddin Shire Citizen of the Year Award, as their 2025 Australia Day Ambassador.
As founder of Our Weddin Mountain of Joy, she prepares and delivers restaurant quality meals, helping individuals and families in need.
Karen’s dedication to connecting with others and reducing stigma makes her an inspiring choice as our Australia Day Ambassador.
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The Mountain of Joy program grew out of cooking meals for people while they were in crisis, particularly at the end of 2019 with the outbreak of the Gospers Mountain fires. When they moved to Grenfell, Karen decided to go back to her roots and bring the program with her.
Along with full time work as a teacher in Canowindra, Karen has been cooking and delivering free meals to people around Grenfell and the district every second Saturday.
Weddin Mountain of Joy is not a replacement to other community services such as Meals on Wheels.
What started as a modest program, has grown from Karen cooking 8 meals a fortnight to around 65 meals in 2024.
Since starting Mountain of Joy, the program has had huge community support, verbally and physically, with people dropping off fresh eggs, veggies and takeaway containers for the meals.
Weddin Mountain of Joy provides free meals and is aimed at anyone who is going through a tough time.
Karen and her husband also established the 'Weddin Mountain of Joy Roadside Pantry.'
This weather-protected pantry, hidden by a large tree, provides a discreet location for people in need to access staples.
