Volunteers are worth more than $25 billion to the Victorian economy every year, but to Uniting AgeWell they are priceless.
As part of National Volunteer Week in May, Uniting AgeWell held celebrations across its sites for its more than 700 volunteers who selflessly give their time to enrich the lives of others.
This includes 2018 Volunteer of the Year Victoria, Lou Bonnici, who has become an invaluable support to the Kingsville Community team over the past four years.
Volunteering three days a week, Lou provides friendship and support to the residents, along with helping the on-site hairdresser, setting up activities and attending outings with the lifestyle team.
“There are times when I’ll do a one-on-one and go for a walk with a resident who likes to walk,” she said.
“I might take a group outside to sit in the sun, go to the coffee shop, run the Bingo or, if we’ve got a concert on, I bring residents from their rooms into the lounge.
“There are times when I’ll just pop in and say hello to residents because some of them don’t get a lot of visitors.
Lou, who stars in a video celebrating Uniting AgeWell’s volunteers, said her unpaid work was more rewarding than any paid job she ever had.
For Mervyn Stanton, the 2018 Volunteer of the Year Tasmania, volunteering has given him “extra life”.
The 91-year-old’s volunteering journey began shortly after his beloved wife, Margaret, moved into Queenborough Rise Community. He brought pot plants in from home and set them up outside her window, gaining the admiration of residents, family members and staff who visited the area.
He has since transformed gardens at Queenborough Rise, and Rosetta Communities Strathaven and Strathglen, along with establishing a gardening club for residents at Queenborough Rise.
Merv also facilitates lifestyle activities for residents, including the crossword group, resident quiz, and bingo, assists with the weekly bus trips and participates in the weekly church service.
“The staff at Queenborough Rise are a marvellous bunch to work with and the residents over the years have become friends and family to me,” he said.
Uniting AgeWell CEO Andrew Kinnersly said Uniting AgeWell could not provide the high level of care its clients enjoyed every day without its loyal and devoted army of volunteers.
“Our volunteers each make a valuable contribution to Uniting AgeWell and we are extremely grateful to them for doing so,” he said.
For information about becoming a Uniting AgeWell volunteer, call T: 1300 783 435 or email [email protected].
