Drive to make a difference

ELAINE Smith, the founder and driving force behind the Women’s Friendship Cafe in Hampton Park, is Casey’s volunteer of the year.
The City of Casey recognised the groups and individuals who enrich the community and lives of others through their volunteering efforts at the 2016 Casey Volunteer Awards on Friday 13 May.
The council hosted an awards ceremony at the Lynbrook Community Centre during National Volunteer Week.
The Friendship Cafe provides a safe and welcoming environment for women from all cultural backgrounds to relax, make friends, share experiences, learn new ideas and skills and find pathways to connect to services and opportunities.
Mayor Sam Aziz said Elaine’s commitment to new migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and their families is evident in her work at the café. Many lives have been enriched thanks to her volunteering efforts.
Jery Burniston was named the young volunteer of the year.
Jery has been an active volunteer member of the Casey Youth Action Committee for two years.
He is also a member of the Unite Alliance and has worked tirelessly in this group to run events and raise awareness around issues for same sex attracted and gender diverse young people in Casey and surrounds.
Jery also volunteers with Man Cave, a mentoring program for boys aged 13-17.
Jery has taken on a leadership and mentoring role in this program where he encourages young people who need support, boosts team morale and helps staff with the organisation and delivering of events.
Jery is also the SRC representative at his school.
Fourteen-year-old Kathleen Foley was highly commended in the youth category.
The group award went to the Narre Warren State Emergency Service. The Narre Warren SES is the primary response agency for flood and storm events across the City of Casey.
While state offices are staffed, the local unit is run solely by volunteers. The unit responds to more than 500 requests for assistance each year and is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Casey Volunteering Pair Award went to Christopher Morgan and Vanessa Watson.
Vanessa and Christopher work hard to put on events for the Lynbrook community and surrounds.
In the past few years they have hosted several big and small free events including the Holi Festival of Colours, Lynbrook Lake Lantern Festival, Halloween in the Park, Pancake Day, Moonlight Cinema, Christmas Movie and Carols and Clean Up Australia Day.
These events attract hundreds of people and are solely run by volunteers who are led and inspired by Vanessa and Christopher.
Both Vanessa and Christopher have also been active members of the Lynbrook School Council and Vanessa moderates the Lynbrook Social Facebook page, which has more than 1700 followers.
South East Palliative Care won the Casey Volunteer Organisation Award. The volunteers at South East Palliative Care are a diverse group, made up of dedicated people who have a passion for improving the lives of clients and carers with life-limiting illness.
Approximately 50 volunteers perform a valuable service in the community, including roles in family support, administration, ambassadors and bereavement support. The volunteers support more than 780 clients, multiple carers and approximately 50 staff.
St Vincent de Paul’s Berwick Soup Van was highly commended.