Community people

A word from the Director- General

This time of the year provides the opportunity to acknowledge and show support for a wide range of Queensland’s carers.

From 31 July to 6 August we celebrated Foster and Kinship Carer Week, and this year we will launch a new campaign to encourage more people to consider becoming a foster or kinship carer.

Foster and kinship carers are everyday people from all walks of life with one thing in common – a commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable children and young people.

Queensland has 4100 foster and kinship carers, but we need more as we have many children and young people in need of safe and loving homes.

Carers who work with Home and Community Care are acknowledged later in the month when Home and Community Awareness Week is celebrated with events held around Queensland in the week starting 21 August.

Disability Action Week , from 18 to 24 September, will again serve to raise awareness of the issues and challenges faced by people with a disability and their families and carers.

It is an ideal time to acknowledge and further the great work being done within the community to improve social inclusion, access and the rights of people with a disability.

I hope you will take time out to join in as many of these community activities as possible in the next two months. Your support will be really appreciated.

 

Linda A. Apelt
Director-General

Danielle Crismani

Charity co-ordinator

Danielle Crismani is the woman behind Baked Relief, the volunteer-driven organisation that rose to the occasion like a batch of scones to provide thousands of meals to Queenslanders affected by floods and Cyclone Yasi.

At its late January peak, Baked Relief was able to mobilise more than 2000 volunteers through social media channels — Danielle’s blog, Twitter and Facebook.

It became so popular that Danielle decided to take seven weeks’ leave from her full-time position in a government communications unit, as she was regularly working 20 hours a day.

“Life is a little more normal now,” she says. “I’m back at my job, but that’s not to say we can’t do more good with Baked Relief.”

Baked Relief was recognised as a Queensland Disaster Hero in Queensland Week
in June.

 www.bakedrelief.org

 

Shirley Edwards

Club secretary

For the past decade Shirley Edwards has been the driving force behind the Cochlear Implant Club and Advisory Association (CICADA) in Queensland.

CICADA has been operating since 1984, providing support through fellowship for implant recipients, their families and friends.

As voluntary secretary Shirley has established its social and fundraising programs.This year the Brisbane woman received the Libby Harricks Achievement Award from Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (Australia).

“The great thing about my work is the chance to meet and talk to people who want to know about the implant,” she says.

“Then comes the pleasure of meeting them after they’re ‘switched on for sound’
and seeing just how much the implant has changed their lives.”

www.earscience.org.au/cicada

 

Stephanie Freeman

Fund-raiser

Young Brisbane woman Stephanie Freeman is a champion volunteer fund-raiser.

Her skills have been a boon to the Mater Private Hospital and, specifically, the Mater Mothers’ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, for whom Stephanie last year raised $9000.

It was a hard slog. Sporty Stephanie was sponsored for swimming and triathlon events, sold raffle tickets and Mater Little Miracle merchandise, ran an Australia Day barbecue and elicited donations from local businesses and spectators at sporting events.

Her efforts were recognised with the Young Entrepreneur Award (12 to 17 years) in last year’s Queensland Young Volunteer Awards.

For information on the Young Volunteer Awards phone 3405 4186 or visit volunteering@communities.qld.gov.au

 

Julia Hasker

Hospital volunteer

Visitors to the Mackay Base Hospital seeking directions from the information desk are sometimes lucky enough to get a personal guide.

Julia Hasker, who volunteers two days a week at the hospital, staffs the information desk and usually offers to walk visitors to their destination.

Julia has been a regular hospital volunteer for the past 10 years and says she particularly likes dealing with visitors.

“I love helping people. At the hospital I’m always sure to meet lots of new people,” she says.

Julia also works part-time as an office assistant at a Mackay pathology laboratory.

Julia appears in Everyday women, extraordinary lives, an online International Women’s Day 2011 tribute gallery.

www.communities.qld.gov.au/women

Elena Mason

Festival volunteer

Lovers of Italian food know exactly where to go when Ingham’s annual Australian-Italian Festival is in full swing.

It’s the Mama Cucina stall (translation: Mama’s kitchen), and Elena Mason will be busily overseeing the work of up to seven volunteers.

Preparing for the 17th annual festival from 6 to 7 August, Elena is quick to credit husband Robert with his behind-the-scenes work and to emphasise that all stall proceeds go back to the festival.

“We originally set up the stall so that we could demonstrate how to cook quail,” Elena says.

“Robert and I had a business before we retired, breeding them for sale to restaurants.”

Quail is still available at Mama Cucina. “When the festival ran for a week I remember serving up more than 500 birds,” Elena says.

www.australianitalianfestival.com.au

 

Ann McDonnell

Researcher, teacher

Nearly 30 years of teaching hasn’t dimmed the enthusiasm of award-winning educator Ann McDonnell.

The Griffith University specialist in medical and biomedical science uses the words “passion” and “simplicity” when summing up what makes a good teacher.

Ann received the prestigious Australian Learning and Teaching Council’s National Award in 2007. She is also profiled in Everyday women, extraordinary lives, the online International Women’s Day 2011 tribute gallery.

“A successful teacher is someone who can put themselves in the shoes of students. You must make it enjoyable for them and it must be active and interactive,” she says.

“If you’ve established a sense of connectedness, a part of your job is already done.”

www.communities.qld.gov.au/women