- Nearly 500 volunteers celebrated at the WA Volunteer Service Awards
- Awards honour individuals who have contributed between five and more than 60 years of volunteer service
- Recognition ceremony held as part of National Volunteer Week
Volunteering contributions ranging from five years to a remarkable seven decades have been acknowledged today at the State Government's WA Volunteer Service Awards.
Held during National Volunteer Week, the awards are an opportunity to celebrate the humble heroes from across the State who have dedicated years of their lives to the service of others.
The awards, established in 2012, recognise Western Australians who have contributed five or more years of voluntary service.
Twelve individuals received a Lifetime of Voluntary Service Award at this year's ceremony to acknowledge more than 60 years of service across causes including Girl Guides WA, Scouts WA and St John WA.
This year's ceremony celebrated 492 volunteers, including 20 individuals who have clocked up more than 50 years of voluntary service. Their combined efforts equate to an incredible 1,171 years of volunteer service.
The awards were also an opportunity to recognise young volunteers aged 18 to 25 years who are making a positive impact in their communities through volunteering.
Among the volunteers to receive recognition were:
- Coral McLay for 72 years of service with Girl Guides WA. The 96-year-old started volunteering with Girl Guides WA in the 1950s and is a long-serving member of the Perth Trefoil Guild where she continues to volunteer today.
- Peter Nelson for 51 years of volunteer service with the Geraldton Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) and the Champion Bay SLSC. Peter also organises community swimming events, provides water safety to users of beach wheelchairs and helps to maintain beach access matting for people with disability or mobility challenges.
- Millie Penman for 11 years of service across emergency services in the Peel region including Mandurah State Emergency Service and the West Murray Volunteer Bushfire Brigade. The 17-year-old is an inspiring ambassador for young people in emergency services who has fought fires, saved lives using CPR and a defibrillator, and lead emergency response training to teach others life-saving skills.
- Liam Dow-Hall for six years of service to the Spectrum Space, a not-for-profit community organisation providing opportunities for children, teens and young adults on the autism spectrum. Liam, who was diagnosed with autism as a child, shares his journey with other young people on the autism spectrum to help them build their own social networks and confidence.
The WA Volunteer Service Awards is now in its 13th year and has recognised nearly 4,000 volunteers to date, demonstrating Western Australia's strong volunteering culture.
National Volunteer Week runs from 19-25 May, with this year's theme 'Connecting Communities', highlighting the power of volunteering in bringing people together and enriching communities.
Visit www.volunteeringwa.org.au for more information.
As stated by Volunteering Minister Hannah Beazley:
"The WA Volunteer Service Awards are an important annual celebration of the humble community members who have devoted decades of their lives to giving back, and whose generosity is making Western Australia a better place.
"On behalf of the Cook Government, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to this year's nearly 500 award recipients, who each have an inspiring story to tell that demonstrates the powerful impact of volunteering.
"With our awardees contributing anywhere from five to 70 years of volunteer service, these individuals are proof it is never too late or early to give back - you never know what impact you will make."
