Retirement after almost 30 years bringing Joy to others

Redcliffe Meals on Wheels manager Joy Dawes has retired after almost 28 years with the service – but she’ll still be a familiar face around the Gomersall St headquarters.

Joy started working with Meals on Wheels in the office before taking on duties as the kitchen co-ordinator and says much has changed over the years.

“When I first started here, we used to ladle the soup into bowls and pour the juice out of a big jug – now everything is packaged individually, which is more hygienic.

“It’s a wonderful service and when I first started my youngest son hadn’t even started school.”

One thing that hasn’t changed is Meals on Wheels’ connection with the community, Joy says.

“We’re still serving the elderly in the area and we do a few younger disabled people who can’t cook for themselves.

“It’s a feel-good thing – you feel as if you have helped someone, kept people in their homes where they would not have been able to be if it wasn’t for us.

“It’s a welfare check too, sometimes we’re their only visitor.

|“Its nice for them to see a friendly face.”|

New chapter

Now she’s not working, Joy plans to spend time with family and friends and seeing more of her grandchildren.

“I have four at the moment and another one on the way and three step-grandchildren and they all live locally in the area.

“I also have elderly parents at Caloundra, so it will be lovely to spend more time with them.”

Joy’s also looking forward to staying connected to the Meals on Wheels team as a volunteer.

“I’m going to be doing the delivery of meals from now on – it’s the fun side of it all.

“It will be lovely to be going out and meeting the people I have spoken to on the phone.

“I’m on the roster once a fortnight and I will also be on call for emergencies,” she says.