THE impact of COVID-19 was worldwide and its lasting effects will forever be remembered for generations to come.
However it hasn't all been a catastrophic or ominous experience - there have been bright lights to stand out in the darkness.
For Gingin Fire and Rescue Captain, local resident and photography enthusiast Nikki Woods, a project she embarked upon to help lift the spirits of local residents and herself has been recognised with, firstly a WA award and then a national one.
"I never expected anything like this," Ms Woods said.
"I was overwhelmed that I had been nominated for the award initially and was gobsmacked to have won."
Being a mother of two and grandmother to one, Ms Woods said her intention was to just get people smiling.
Offering families the chance to contribute and be part of more than the teddy bears and rainbows that were already community hits nationwide, Ms Woods got the idea from a friend.
A simple call out on Facebook garnered more interest than she ever expected.
"I received a message from a friend in Tom Price," Ms Woods said.
"She used to live in Gingin and she had a local photographer do the same thing in Tom Price and she thought it was right up my alley.
"When I googled it I found Darwin photographer, Francesca Fuga Photography, who started a similar project and was herself inspired by another photographer overseas."
Known as The Driveway Project, the idea was for families to have some fun, even in the middle of social distancing.
So Ms Woods invited the community to have a free photography shoot of families in their driveways.
"I actually thought people would think I had gone completely nuts," she said.
"My husband did too.
"So when I got the response I did I was really amazed and excited."
In March 2020, in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and with national, state and regional borders and isolation in full swing, Ms Woods took to the driveways to capture what families had been doing during the very strange time, and get some laughs and smiles going in the community.
The whole family involvement was something that really struck the photographer who went to the driveways of 140 families and captured their images from a safe social distance.
Covering Gingin, Neergabby, Beerrmullah and Muckenburra - she also had requests from Yanchep and lower Chittering but the regional border closure meant she could not travel afar.
"I did it over a period of three weeks," Ms Woods said.
"I would start at 3pm in the afternoon and work till sunset."
For Ms Woods the whole experience was fun, exciting and uplifting.
"Having the whole family, including animals was great," she said.
"You never knew what you were going to find at the end of the next driveway."
There were many highlights to the project.
"The very first photo on the first day I drove up to a cage full of kids, with the parents standing next to it enjoying a drink together," Ms Woods said.
"There was one where the children had duct taped their mum to a chair and another the family had set up a full campsite - tent and all.
"The town dentist and chiropractor switched roles for an amusing photo, which was really fun to shoot."
Ms Woods said one particular image that attracted all the attention and went on to win the awards, was a stand out from the moment she rocked up (see front cover).
"It really was an absolutely beautiful photo," Ms Woods said.
"Danika (Todd) contacted me when she saw the Facebook posts," Ms Woods said.
"Apparently it was her husband's idea.
"He works away and their favourite thing to do as a family when he gets home, is to get all dressed up and go out to dinner at a nice restaurant."
The picture depicts the Todd family, including their pet dog, all dressed up at the end of their driveway with their prized old Holden car, enjoying their evening fine dining meal at sunset.
"The car doesn't start so they rolled it down the driveway," Ms Woods said.
The photo really captured the hearts of many in the local community and that is when some colleagues told her they had nominated the photo for the Resilient Australia WA awards.
Now in its 21st year, the awards celebrate projects that build community resilience and help residents get back on their feet after disasters such as fires, floods and cyclones.
Awards aim to inspire innovation, collaboration and community engagement among individuals, community groups, schools and organisations.
Emergency Services Minister Francis Logan announced the Resilient Australia WA award winners on November 26.
"The unprecedented events of 2020, including the Black Summer bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate the importance of resilience in our communities," Mr Logan.
"The Resilient Australia WA award recipients and those who were highly commended have played a key role in supporting people to recover from or plan for the impact of devastating events.
"These initiatives should be celebrated not only for providing immediate support for the community, but also for inspiring others with bold, new ideas."
Ms Woods won the people's choice photography award which qualified her for the Resilient Australia Awards, National Photography Award category.
The national program recognises and promote initiatives that strengthen community disaster resilience.
The awards were initiated in 2000 and have showcased innovation and exemplary practice across Australia; celebrating achievements that might otherwise go unseen, and inspiring others to build greater disaster resilience in their own communities.
With the exception of multi-jurisdictional projects, submissions are judged in their state or territory, and jurisdictional winners considered for national awards.
The Australian Government sponsors the Resilient Australia Awards in partnership with the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience and the States and Territories.
The People's Choice Photography winner from each State and Territory was considered and Ms Woods' entry The Driveway Project won the title overall.
The national award winners were announced on December 9 and the win was not expected by Ms Woods.
"I cried when I found out I had won," she said.
"I did not set out to win awards, I just wanted to do something to occupy my time and help get the community smiling and keep them connected during an unprecedented time."
Ms Woods' achievement really does embody the whole aim of the Resilient Australia Awards, proving that even during difficult times people and communities can work together to find a way to help one another and be happy and supportive.
