LC volunteers receive Premier’s Awards
Lutheran Care recently celebrated the outstanding service of six Community Visitors Scheme volunteers, who received Premier’s Certificates of Recognition earlier this year.
Together Sue Fackrell, Penny Pfitzner, Peter Rudiger, Dawn Spencer, Yvonne Gaca and Chris ‘Tigger’ Werner have a combined 115 years’ service in Lutheran Care’s Community Visitors Scheme program, which coordinates friendly volunteers to visit older people at risk of social isolation. Over the years, each volunteer has brought significant joy, friendship and comfort to those they have visited.
Guests who attended the awards presentation heard some amazing stories from the volunteers, who were all very humble in receiving their certificates from Lutheran Care CEO Rohan Feegrade.
Mr Feegrade thanked the group for their extraordinary service and the impact they have had in reducing social isolation.
‘Coming to these events really gives us the opportunity to reflect on what Lutheran Care really stands for and the work with do in communities,” Mr Feegrade said. “Lutheran Care does the full spectrum of life. We are in people’s life from birth, right through to the stories we’ve heard today of last breath.’
Volunteer Dawn Spencer is 93 years old and in her fifteenth year of CVS volunteering.
‘I’m an oldie,’ Dawn joked. ‘But volunteering is worth it.’
On accepting her certificate, Sue Fackrell said there were many benefits to being a volunteer with the Community Visitors Scheme.
‘There have been so many wonderful people that I have learnt so much from,’ Sue said. ‘They’ve had so much life experience and I think it’s been a really heart-warming journey for me to be involved with so many different people along the way.’
Lutheran Care is so grateful and blessed to have had these volunteers involved with the Community Visitors Scheme for so long and appreciates all they have done in their local South Australian communities.
If you are interested in volunteering with Lutheran Care, visit www.lutherancare.org.au/volunteer-with-us or contact Volunteer Coordinator Michelle Wende on mwende@lutherancare.org.au
Photo: Attending Lutheran Care’s Premier’s Certificate presentation in September were (back L-R) Carolyn Koch, Peter Rudiger, Annie Chambers, Sue Fackrell, Chris ‘Tigger’ Werner, Dawn Spencer, Rohan Feegrade, (front L-R) Yvonne Gaca, Julia Borgas, Penny Pfitzner and Sonja Williams.
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