The 19 trees on Wagga Wagga's Fitzmaurice Street will light up in orange this Wednesday night as Council says "thank you" to the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) on behalf of the Wagga Wagga community.
Held during National Volunteer Week, Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW Day) on 20 May 2026 will recognize the thousands of volunteer hours spent responding to emergencies across the nation.
Over the past year, NSW SES members have responded to more than 61,000 incidents across the state.
Council's Manager Community Services Madeleine Scully said it is an important opportunity for people to say a simple, but meaningful "thank you" to the NSW SES members who voluntarily give up their time to help others during challenging times.
"The lighting awareness campaign in Fitzmaurice Street, and wearing the colour orange to work, is a way for our community to visibly show appreciation and stand in support of the dedicated NSW SES volunteers," Ms Scully said.
Whether it's rescuing someone trapped in floodwaters, assisting police and other emergency services with bush searches and road crashes, or repairing homes after an intense storm, the NSW SES volunteers show up to support their communities – unpaid, out of goodwill and with a steadfast passion for serving their communities and the people in them.
This week also marks World IBD Day, a Global Day of Recognition of people living with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or IBD.
On Tuesday 19 May, the trees along the Fitzmaurice Street median strip will be among 120 sites, landmarks, and buildings across Australia that will light up in purple as a show of solidarity for the IBD community.
Nearly 180,000 Australians live with inflammatory bowel disease, a lifelong, invisible condition. World IBD Day and Crohn's & Colitis Awareness Month play a crucial role in improving care, raising awareness, and helping to break down the stigma surrounding IBD.
"These lighting awareness campaigns can spark meaningful conversations about the realities of living with debilitating conditions and help promote information and support services that are available," Ms Scully said.
Community organisations seeking Council's support to promote their upcoming health and community campaigns through the temporary lighting of the trees in Fitzmaurice Street can book their requests on the Temporary Lighting for Awareness Campaigns page on our website.
