Eileen Johns

Location: Beaudesert

The saying 'If you want a job done, give it to a busy person' must have been written with Eileen Johns in mind.

At 74 years of age and after more than 30 years of volunteering, Eileen is still working for a variety of organisations. She has achieved this while raising seven children with her husband of 45 years and offering a helping hand to raise her 11 grandchildren.

Eileen is held in the highest esteem due to her valuable and dedicated voluntary service to the St Vincent de Paul Society. Each week day - rain, hail or shine - you will find her sorting clothes for the shop between 8 am and 2.30 pm. In any given week Eileen will sort her way through more than one tonne of clothing.

She is also a favourite with the shop's customers, showing care and concern to all. She offers a sympathetic ear to those in desperate need of clothing and blankets and to those who just need somebody to talk to. Eileen has the ability to connect with people from all walks of life, making them feel at ease with her compassionate and understanding manner.

The Country Women's League has also been fortunate to have Eileen working for them for more than 30 years to help those on the land in need, and her local church and Catholic primary school have benefitted from the countless fetes and other functions she has organised on their behalf.

Whatever the job that needs to be done, Eileen Johns is the first person to volunteer. Communities from across Queensland as well as her home town of Beaudesert have much to thank this untiring volunteer for.