Recognising our volunteers on International Volunteer Day

Each year on December 5 countries around the world celebrate the United Nations International Volunteer Day and the garden party event, coordinated by Volunteering WA and supported by the Department of Local Government and Communities, was to recognise Western Australian volunteers who contribute to our communities.

Volunteers are the unsung heroes in our communities. The reason why we volunteer varies but a sense of satisfaction, doing good for others, making a difference and caring for your local area featured highly as reasons in Perth NRM’s 2017 Community Capacity Survey.

In recognition of their leadership and on-going support of environmental volunteering Perth NRM invited representatives from select groups to join us at the ceremony. Accompanying Perth NRM CEO, Paul Bodlovich and staff members Jeanmarie Collins and Luke McMillan were:

Meg Anklesaria – Director, Perth NRM and Cambridge Coastcare
Don Poynton – Friends of North Ocean Reef – Iluka Foreshore (FONORIF)
Mike Norman – Joondalup Community Coast Care Forum
Pat Hart – SERCUL
Penny Lee – Baigup Wetland Interest Group
Robert Hawes – Ellen Brockman Integrated Catchment GroupUnice Robinson – Friends of Mary Carrol Wetland

Those who attended the event appreciated the acknowledgements for the work that is undertaken by a volunteer and were presented with a certificate of recognition, signed by the Minister for Volunteering, the Hon Mick Murray MLA.

“I just wanted to say thank you for inviting me to the garden party at Government House,” expresses Unice Robinson.

I really enjoyed the afternoon and it was great to talk to volunteers from different areas to find we have similar problems. I’m so lucky to be supported by Armadale Gosnells Landcare group.”

The afternoon also featured a presentation of WA Service Awards for recipients who have volunteered with one organisation for 25 or 50 or more years and an address by the Honourable Kim Beazley AC, Governor or WA and Patron of Volunteering WA.