Decades of dedication to the Yarra Valley Red Cross was honoured at its 4 August Annual General Meeting through multiple long service awards.
The awards were delivered by Australian Red Cross Society board member Professor Brendan Murphy which recognised the work of seven loyal and hardworking members.
The 20 year award was handed to Dawn Dowdney, while 10 year awards were handed to Bella Lee-Tet, Frank Preyer, Meryl Knoll, Siobhan Hedderman, Glenda Pearson and Sally Ann Clarke.
Yarra Valley Red Cross treasurer Jennifer Seabrook said the loyalty of the members showed the community enjoys being apart of the Yarra Valley Red Cross.
“It says that our members enjoy being part of Yarra Valley Red Cross,” Ms Seabrook said.
“They have a commitment to their local community because the activities that we do whilst raising money for Red Cross add value to local events.”
Ms Seabrook lauded Ms Pearson’s extensive contributions and described her as a person who “doesn’t know how to say no”.
“She does all the rostering for all of our events and makes all the marmalades for our stalls. She attends almost every stall to help with the setting up.”
Ms Hedderman was described as the “master coffee maker” who cranks out coffee orders at all of the stalls.
Ms Dowdney, Ms Lee-Tet and Ms Knoll would always be ready to help out no matter the circumstance.
“The thing they all have in common is that they say yes whenever we ask them,” Ms Seabrook said.
She said people felt fulfilled by contributing to the community while the work wasn’t too hard or time consuming.
“It’s not onerous of a commitment because they wouldn’t stay if it was asking too much of them.”
These members of the community have poured their time and energy into events through their involvement at the Yarra Valley Red Cross.
This was highlighted when the branch raised just under $24,000 through a monthly stall Launch Fresh, which supported the Yellingbo and WHYLD mini-markets and Winter Warming events.
It also supported the Crank Up Festival at the Upper Yarra Museum and helped out at several community expos – these are just a few examples out of the 23 stalls hosted by the branch in the last financial year.
But the branch also provides support through its stalls which can often be seen at community events in the Yarra Ranges.
“People know that we take our coffee machine and that we make terrific jams and really great little toys and things like that.
“So if people know there’s going to be a Red Cross stall at one of those local events that helps to attract people to that event, which then helps whatever that community group is trying to do,” Ms Seabrook said.
The Yarra Valley Red Cross will have a stall at the ADRA Community expo in Warburton in September and the Yellingbo Christmas Fair later this year.
With the presence of a Red Cross stall, Ms Seabrook said the benefits flowed three ways: more people come to these community events, which in turn meant the Red Cross could raise more money and the event’s success was bolstered.
“It’s a win-win-win.”
Underpinning the Red Cross’ cause though, was its dedication to help anyone regardless of their background.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re gay, straight, religious, not religious, fat, skinny, what colour your skin is, rich, poor – Red Cross helps everybody regardless of what category they’re in.”
