Congratulations to the nominees and finalists in the 2009 Minister for Health Volunteer Awards

The Minister for Health Volunteer Awards have been established to celebrate and honour the remarkable work performed by volunteers across Victoria’s public healthcare sector.

Congratulations to all the volunteers who have been nominated by their health services.

Nominees

Files are zipped and contain pdf's with the names and images of this years nominees.

Individual nominees (pdf, 2.2MB)

Team nominees (pdf, 2.8MB)

The judges short-listed nominees in light of their volunteer commitment and achievements. Volunteer Award winners and commendations were announced by the Minister for Health at the Volunteer Awards ceremony held on the 14 May 2009.

Individual Volunteer Awards finalists

(The nominees are listed in alphabetical order)

Metropolitan Health Service

Outcome	Nominee name	Organisation	Achievements
Winner	Bev Piper Play Education Volunteer	Southern Health	Bev has volunteered for more than 45 years and provides comfort to sick children in the hospital.
Special commendation	Natalina Paganoni Auxiliary worker	Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital	Natalina is 96 years old and has provided 31 years of volunteering service. She has raised substantial funds through cake stalls.
Highly commended	Joy Crampton Manager, Busy Fingers Craft & Gift Shop	Northern Hospital	Joy is 80 years old and has provided 36 years of volunteering services. She is a founder and leader of the auxiliary which has raised substantial funds for the Bundoora Extended Care Centre.
Highly commended	Clair Duffus President, Rosebud Hospital Pink Lady Group	Peninsula Health	Clair first volunteered as a Rosebud Hospital Pink Lady in 1994 and started the Rosebud Hospital Op Shop in 1997. The op shop has donated considerable funds for equipment for the health service.

Primary Health Service

Outcome	Nominee name	Organisation	Achievements
Winner	Dennis O’Sullivan Board Director (unpaid)	Central Bayside Community Health	Dennis has been a board member for 23 years. He has played a significant role in the establishment and development of the health service. Dennis established several gardens around the Parkdale site and receives out of hours calls from the security monitoring service.
Highly commended	Judy Berry Volunteer	Dianella Community Health	Judy started the Craigieburn Arthritis Self Help Group. She has shared knowledge and developed aides to help arthritis sufferers for the past 19 years.
Highly commended	Bill Robson Planned activity group	Moreland Community Health	Bill is 85 years old and has been a volunteer since 1989. He provides a garden-based program to allow socially isolated people with a passion for gardening to continue this hobby.

Regional Health Service

Outcome	Nominee name	Organisation	Achievements
Winner	Pat Mackay Entertainer	Ballarat Health Services	Pat has been a volunteer for 28 years and provides support and musical entertainment to frail aged care residents.
Highly commended	Mick Campbell Project Coordinator	Bairnsdale Regional Health Service	Mick has provided 24 years of volunteer service. Most recently he has coordinated volunteer labour and donated material from over 70 traders to construct a home that will be auctioned with profits directed towards construction of a new oncology and dialysis facility at the hospital.
Highly commended	Bruce Clare Volunteer on the Community Advisory Group	Swan Hill District Health	Bruce has been a volunteer since 2003. He has worked to make sure patients were aware of available volunteer assistance and has been active as a consumer and community advocate.

Rural Health Service

Outcome	Nominee name	Organisation	Achievements
Winner	Jake Lappin Aged Care Volunteer	The Kilmore & District Hospital	Jake is a 16 year old student who provides weekly support to aged care residents.
Highly commended	Beverley Ellen Main Transport Driver	Bass Coast Regional Health	Beverley is a driver with the volunteer transport service since 2003, as well as an Acute Wards volunteer, general volunteer and administrative volunteer.
Highly commended	Tanya Sullivan Team Leader	Ambulance Victoria	Tanya is the Nagambie Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) team leader, and has been in this leadership role since 2004. She has provided ‘on call’ medical emergency response services and community education across the Nagambie district.

Volunteer Team Awards finalists

(The nominee’s organisations are listed in alphabetical order)

Metropolitan Health Service

Outcome	Team name	Organisation	Description
Winner	ICU Volunteer Team	The Alfred	A team of nine volunteers support staff and provide comfort to ICU patient family members. During the ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires the team provided 222 hours of care and support over 14 days.
Winner	Kinglake Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)	Ambulance Victoria	Active for eight years, the CERT team responded to over 100 calls during 2008. During the ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires the team negotiated flames to access and treat injured community members.
Highly commended	Angels at St V’s	St Vincent’s	Established in 2003, 32 volunteers respond to approximately 70 referrals per month. The Angels provide companionship to patients identified at being at risk of falls or poor nutrition.

Primary Health Service

Outcome	Team name	Organisation	Description
Winner	Community Liaison Committee	North Yarra Community Health	16 volunteers from different cultural backgrounds support and assist the community by using their diverse cultural and language skills to support services to clients and being an ‘active voice’ for the community.
Highly commended	Active for Life Volunteers	Grampians Community Health Centre	A team of five volunteers provide fitness programs to clients over 50 years of age, providing a friendly, safe and supportive environment for participants of all abilities.
Highly commended	Planned Activity Group	Nillumbik Community Health Service	19 volunteers provide hands on support to staff to deliver planned activity groups six days per week, for a diverse range of clients.

Regional Health Service

Outcome	Team name	Organisation	Description
Winner	Cancer After Care Group	Barwon Health	This group helped to establish the Andrew Love Cancer Centre and organise a calendar of events and provides one on one support to cancer sufferers and their families.
Special commendation	Hamilton Community Transport Service	Western District Health Service	40 drivers and 12 escorts providing transport to clients for medical appointments. In 2008 this amounted to 2,002 hours of service or 90,213kms.
Highly commended	Planned Activity Group	Ballarat Health Services	25 volunteers assist staff with meal preparation, client transport and support services for the daily planned activity group program.

Rural Health Service

Outcome	Team name	Organisation	Description
Winner	Volunteer Team	Seymour District and Memorial Hospital	The volunteers assist with palliative care, aged care and planned activity groups. The teams also provided support during the recent bushfires in the Murrindindi catchment area.
Highly commended	Volunteer Team	Hepburn Health Service	More than 280 volunteers deliver meals-on-wheels, transport to medical appointments, and raising money for equipment.
Highly commended	Telecare Volunteers	Portland District Health	A team of 22 volunteers provide reassurance and social support through phoning HACC clients living at home. The program has been going for 25 years and many volunteers have provided more than 10 years of service.
Highly commended	Ibis Volunteer Group	Yarram & District Health Services	Since 1993 this group has provided transport assistance, meals on wheels deliveries, assistance with planned activities, home visits and many other support duties for Yarram and surrounding areas.

Last updated: 14 August, 2009
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