Honouring dedicated volunteers

A woman who was volunteered at the Pine Rivers Park Visitor Information Centre for more than three decades was among dozens of dedicated volunteers from the Moreton Bay Region recognised for their service at a special morning tea at the North Lakes Sports Club today.

Held as part of National Volunteer Week, the morning tea paid tribute to people who volunteer at the Moreton Bay Region’s eight accredited Visitor Information Centres, help deliver major events and work at Moreton Daily Stadium.

Decades of service

Sonia Littlejohn was given a Volunteering Queensland pin commemorating her 30 years of service, which she achieved last year.

Four Visitor Information Centre volunteers were awarded pins marking 20 years’ service – Carol Atkins, Cathy Burden and Mel Fursman (Clontarf) and Laura Elmouttie (Redcliffe).

Gary Spillane (Pine Rivers Park) received a pin for his 15 years of dedication, as did Georgia Bachler, Lesley Ellis and Janie Eyre (Redcliffe), with Joanne Cooper honoured for 10 years at Pine Rivers Park.

Twelve Visitor Information Centre volunteers received pins marking five years’ service: Anne Lewis and Susan Kelly (Redcliffe), Marie Dansby, Deborah Bennett, Lexica Dalton and Catherine Thomas (Pine Rivers Park), Margaret McKeering and Clare McNamara (Clontarf), Roz Akers (Samford), Ian Peters (Woodford), and Roger Cordery and Chris Milledge (Caboolture Historical Village).

See the gallery below

Moreton Bay Region Mayor Peter Flannery says the army of dedicated volunteers – many of whom have served the region for decades – are often the first people visitors to the region encounter, and are wonderful ambassadors.

“Whether you’re doing it in a centre which is the face of Council or whether it’s people coming here for an event, often you’re the face of the region and interacting with them is often the first point of contact they have,” Mayor Flannery says.

“I see our region as one big backyard that we all enjoy.”

Mayor Flannery says the contribution made by volunteers is priceless because many events could not be held without them.

The morning tea celebrated National Volunteer Week’s themes of recognition, reconnection and reimagining.

Reconnecting volunteers

Moreton Bay Region Tourism and Industry Tourism and Investment general manager Oriana Wyrozebska says the morning tea allowed volunteers to reconnect after last year’s event was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“We’re also reimagining what volunteering looks like in 2021 and how we better support our volunteers,” Ms Wyrozebska says.

“More and more locals are looking to escape and looking to explore our region.

“When they’re looking for inspiration our Visitor Information Centres are often the first place they visit.

“We recognise, celebrate and thank our volunteers for the vital role they play.”

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