Congratulations Shanna Whan finalist in the Rex Airlines Regional Woman of the Year Award
Congratulations to Barwon’s own Shanna Whan who has been announced as a finalist in the NSW Regional Woman of the Year awards. The awards celebrate and recognise some of the most remarkable women across the state.
Shanna is the Founder and now CEO of national charity Sober in the Country (SITC) and has has single-handedly been creating a positive, inclusive, culture-shift across Australia's outback through her online community and campaign that it's ''OK to say no to a beer.''
After five years spent entirely as a volunteer she has managed to crack open a taboo subject with her trademark honesty and humour to simply get the ''truth about grog in the bush'' into the light. Shanna has the sole intention of supporting our mates who might not be OK to drink - and thereby pulling people out of the river before they drown.
SITC was created off the back of Shanna’s own near death experience as an invisible, undiagnosed and untreated high-functioning alcoholic who slipped through the cracks for most of her life.
Her wish is to pay forward a message of hope, and to smash ancient and outdated stigmas around the truth of alcohol and its' impact in the rural sector - especially as drought, climate change, and sustainability are harder than ever for those ''west of the great divide''
Since Shanna’s story aired last November on Australian Story, the groundswell of support for her has been huge. Shanna is not out to demonise alcohol or those who can safely enjoy a few drinks – she’s out to help connect with and support those who can’t.
Shanna travels far and wide to speak as the CEO and Founder of the charity to educate, inform, and deliver useful lived-experience and relatable information to health industry workers, students, corporate bodies, communities. She continues her fight for better services, support, and awareness for the men and women who get up, show up, and continue to feed and clothe the nation despite little or no support in the complex space of alcohol abuse, misuse, and addiction.
Visit www.soberinthecountry.com.au for the charity purpose, how to help, and how to get involved.
The winner of the Rex Airlines Regional Woman of the Year Award will be announced at the 2020 NSW Women of the Year Awards at the International Convention Centre Sydney on 5 March.