News
An intimate story of a volunteer
10th May, 2011
Volunteers play an extremely important role in our community. They help support community organisations and people. National Volunteer Week is an excellent time to highlight the tremendous work that our volunteers do in the community.
One of the volunteers in the Ararat community that I would like to introduce is Marlene Lowing. Marlene volunteers at the Lowe Street Aged Care Facility once a week at the East Grampians Health Service.
Marlene has been volunteering for most of her life. She learnt all about volunteering from a very young age, inspired by her parents. Marlene reflected that "My parents always helped people from the country that come to Melbourne for hospital care. As a child I didn't know who half the people were that my parents had invited into our home, all I knew was that we had to make room for them and that sometimes meant giving up our bedroom to make space, which I was happy to do".
When Marlene was asked about what she enjoyed most about being a volunteer, she said "I just enjoy caring for people, I absolutely love it. When I enter the room and their face's light up with joy and happiness, I know I'm in the right place. The residents are always happy to see me and I'm just as happy to see them. I have a great rapport with the elderly and I never treat them as old people; I just treat them as friends who they most certainly are. It's just an honor to come in and share my time with them as I am appreciated so much, they give the same happy look as my grandchildren do when I see them".
Marlene highlighted the importance of being a volunteer "I think just being there for the residents, they enjoy the close contact, they like the human touch, they love it when I go up and say there name, just sharing your time with them, holding their hand or just having a friendly chat".
Marlene said "At the Lowe St Auxiliary we make them the most important person; some of the other Auxiliary ladies do the beds, do their nails, play bingo with them or do their flowers. We are a real working Auxiliary and we're very much hands on. The Auxiliary do some fundraising but it's not our priority, our priority is to spend time with resident's one on one".
Marlene said that for anyone thinking about becoming a volunteer they should "Just go for it, you get back so much more than you put in, it's totally rewarding and you will enjoy it so much. There are so many different ways to become a volunteer, but volunteer in an area that best suits you and interests you, I think that's the key to volunteering".
East Grampians Health Service Ararat & Willaura has so many great volunteers and Marlene is just one of many who do such an incredible job. The care, generosity and joy of all the volunteers at the hospital is truly remarkable. I continue to be inspired every day by their amazing work. Says Danny Drake, Community Liaison Officer of East Grampians Health Service
