Recipient of the ACT Volunteer of the Year Award
2004
Mr.Clive Monty - Nominated by L’Arche
Genesare
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 L’Arche
Genesaret is a Canberra community of around 50 people, 13 of
whom have intellectual disabilities, 12 of whom are full-time
or part-time assistants or leaders living with and supporting
those with disabilities and the rest of whom are family, friends
and other volunteers who also provide support. L’Arche’s
purpose is not merely to provide supported accommodation. Rather
it is to create communities, which are welcoming to people with
intellectual disabilities, and which reveal the particular gifts
of these people.
Though he is still associated with the L’Arche community
in Canberra and the wider L’Arche community in Australia
and overseas Clive Monty recently retired from membership of
the L’Arche Board having served for over 20 with the L’Arche
community and L’Arche Australia. His association with
L’Arche began in 1982 as Principal of the Woden School
for students with disabilities. Clive has played a crucial role
in the life of the Australian L’Arche communities. He
negotiated the funding for the purchase of the L’Arche
community’s first and subsequent houses and has been a
major driving force for the growth of the community since that
time. Nationally, he made a major contribution through his participation
on the board of L’Arche Australia. This and his facilitation
of overseas people coming to work for L’Arche in Australia,
and he together with his wife Ruth have worked to build communication
across the Australian L’Arche communities, and have been
central to the growth and health of L’Arche.
For more than 20 years, Clive has devoted between 10 and 15
hours a week to his work with L’Arche totalling well in
excess of 20,000 volunteer hours over this time.
The tangible results of Clive’s work are not just
the growth of L’Arche from one to four households, but
more importantly the development of a strong community of
loving people working together for the rights, dignity and
acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities.
Clive, like so many other volunteers has a passion for the
volunteer work he performs in our community and is a truly
worthy ambassador for all volunteers. The NRMA INSURANCE/VOLUNTEERING
ACT VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR for 2004 CLIVE MONTY |
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Margaret
Reid, former Federal Senator for the ACT, presented the Awards
Acknowledging
the numbers of volunteers being recognised and the breadth
of their work she said:
"What
a dull boring world it would be without Volunteers?" |
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Category
Awardees |
Recipient |
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Citation
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Val Chesterton
Recipients of the Sport and Recreation Category Award.
Nominated by the ACT Veterans Athletic Club and the ACT
Activities Club.
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 For
many years Val Chesterton has provided outstanding service
to the ACT Athletics Community through her work with the Social
and Competition Committees of the ACT Veterans Athletic Club.
In addition Val has co-coordinated the Catering and Medal
presentations for such high profile athletic events as the
Australian Masters Games, the Telstra A Series and the Australian
Youth Athletics Championships. Val also regularly volunteers
for the ACT Walkers Club and the ACT Little Athletics Association.
Val prides herself on providing quality service throughout
all her volunteer activities. The professionalism of her contribution
has resulted in Val being held in high esteem by both the
local athletics community and Athletics Australia.
Val together, with her hardworking team has created a very
positive reputation throughout the ACT athletics community.
The Sport and Recreation Volunteer of the Year 2004 recipient,
Val Chesterton |
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Kevin Carey
Recipient of the Emergency Services Category Award.
Nominated by Australian Federal Police. |
 Kevin
has been a volunteer since the inception of the Volunteer
In Police Program in December 2001.He has been actively involved
in all aspects of police volunteering usually exceeding his
16 hours a week. Right from the outset of his volunteering
duties Kevin has demonstrated a strong commitment to professionalism,
as well as a commitment to customer service and has worked
1570 hours since the program was first commenced.
A position in which Kevin excels is that of staffing the
front desk at the City Police station. Those with whom Kevin
comes into contact are often annoyed, stressed anxious. Kevin
has an ability to diffuse the most tense situation by listening
respectfully to the tales people have to tell and then assisting
them in whatever way he is able.
Kevin’s demonstrated empathy and professionalism is
highly respected by both members of the public and AFP officers
alike.
In addition to his front desk role Kevin is also the responsible
for the photography of Volunteer in Policing events and is
involved in outreach services to residents of retirement villages
and working with a support group for children with cancer.
The Emergency Services Category recipient in the Volunteer
of the Year Award 2004, Kevin Carey. |
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Peter Hugonnet
Joint recipient of the Arts and Heritage Category Award
Nominated by Australian War Memorial. |
 Peter
has a long record of voluntary service to the community spanning
24 years. Among many other voluntary duties, Peter for the
last 7 years has been involved as a voluntary guide at the
Australian War Memorial. The ability to tailor guided tours
to the needs of the group being guided both in particular
interests and in available time, is an ability that requires
much dedication and is a skill Peter Hugonnet possesses.
During his service at the War Memorial Peter has produced
and updated74 Backgrounders, these are training documents
and can be anything up to 90 pages in length, their production
requires considerable research.
Peter has also served as President of the Voluntary Guides
and Editor of the monthly newsletter for 5 years.
In addition to his work at the Australian War Memorial Peter
is Secretary of the Bungendore Combined Churches Rodeo Association,
which raises funds for the local Catholic and Anglican churches.
Last year an amount of $20,000 was raised.
Peter was also a senior office bearer of the Bungendore Bush
Fire Brigade for 5 years.
The recipient of the Arts and Heritage category of the
Volunteer of the Year Award Peter Hugonnet |
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Christopher Van Reyk
Joint recipient of the Health Category Award
Nominated by Mental Illness Education ACT |
 Chris
Van Reyk has had a lifetime built around volunteer involvement.
As a young person with an interest in music he was a volunteer
DJ and over the years has used his musical talents to bring
joy to many people through his extensive volunteer work.
Whilst always active, his volunteer career really blossomed
upon retirement from paid work.
Chris is extensively involved in mental health education,
delivering sessions on all aspects of mental health at local
high schools and facilitating the “Lemon Looning”
game for the Mental Health Consumer Network
In addition he works with the Northside High School Support
Centre as a mentor for young men and also assists young people
with their homework through a program managed by the Belconnen
Community Service.
Chris also works with people with dementia; those who have
an intellectual disability and others who are visually impaired.
Chris says the great thing about volunteering is that you
are always learning new things and meeting really interesting
people.
The recipient of the Health Category award for the Volunteer
of the Year, Chris Van Reyk |
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Roger Killeen
Recipient of the Education Category Award
Nominated by ACT Home Tutor Scheme |
 Roger
is the embodiment of the adage “if you want something
done ask a busy person” For the past 12 years Roger
has worked with care and compassion in assisting individual
migrants and refugees with language and settlement issues.
Many maintain contact with Roger as he represents a significant
figure in their lives. He has worked with English conversation
groups within the Adult Migrant English Program and also within
the community. Roger has been a vital link between the refugee
family and the community to which they have come and his sensitivity
and hard work has indeed made a difference too many people’s
lives.
Currently Roger is working with an Afghani refugee student
and in addition to his tutoring role Roger is acting as an
advocate helping to clarify Australian regulations for his
student.
Roger’s “can do” attitude gives his students
hope and faith that despite the set backs they may encounter,
he will work with them to build a new life in their adopted
country.
In addition to his work with people from Culturally and Linguistically
Diverse backgrounds Roger also works as an educator for Diabetes
Australia and Arthritis ACT and Toastmasters.
Words used to describe Roger are reliable, caring, responsible,
sensitive, friendly, good fun, committed, intelligent and
articulate, what more can I say than the recipient of
the Education Category in the Volunteer of the Year award
is Roger Killeen |
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Michael Mcdonell
Recipient of the Community Category Award.
Nominated by Ruth Palavestra together with 125 Rovers and
Venturer Scouts of the ACT region. |
 Michael’s
ongoing involvement with the Scouting movement began when
he joined as a cub and continues to this day as Venturer Commissioner
for the ACT Region.
“Max” as he is known works tirelessly to develop
programs that are both fun and challenging to the hundreds
of 15 to 18 year olds that are the Venturer community.
Most nights of the week Max can be found involved in some
sort of Scouting activity whether that is developing a program,
at a committee meeting, liaising with other organisations
to develop new opportunities or just visiting a Scouting group
and being involved in their activities.
Many young people at risk have turned to Max for guidance
and he has always been there for them.
Max has also taken an active role in the annual Gang Show
allowing young people to develop their theatrical skills;
conducted countless wilderness programs that encourage self
development and resourcefulness; run leadership courses and
supervised innumerable camps and hikes.
With Michael’s guidance 40 young Scouts are planning
to deliver an aid project for the Red Cross in the Solomons.
He has inspired and encouraged the young people in this project
to take active leading roles in the organising and planning
and his faith in their ability is always repaid.
When speaking of Max many of the young people who have been
inspired by him to attain their Queens Scout Award use words
such as “awesome”, “legend” and “cool”;
high praise indeed for the Community Category recipient in
the Volunteer of the Year Award Michael “Max”
McDonell |
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Joan Goodrum
Recipient of the Environment Award Category
Nominated by Environment ACT |
As with many others here today Joan has a lifetime of volunteer
involvement. For Joan it began in India in 1944 in the Woman’s
Voluntary Service where she ripped up documents lest they
fall into the wrong hands, sort of a human paper shredder
really whilst on her return to England she joined the Volunteer
Nursing Service.
Joan’s Award today though is for her work in the Environment.
Joan’s love affair with the Australian bush began on
her arrival in Perth in 1966, grew with the time she spent
in Kalgoolie and continued when she and her family moved to
Canberra in 1968.
Since that time Joan has dedicated herself to the restoration
and preservation of our natural heritage.
Joan is allergic to herbicides and so whilst engaged in weed
eradication programs she pulls weeds out rather than spraying
them.
Among other land care groups Joan is a member of
- Canberra Archaeological Association
- Friends of Grasslands
- Water Watch
- Frogwatch
- The Southern ACT Catchment Group
And her work includes
- Weed Control
- Establishing and maintaining photo prints for vegetation
monitoring
- Monitoring Bird Population and water quality
- Frog Surveys
Joan also works tirelessly with the local Ngunnawal people
promoting cross-cultural awareness.
For Joan the environment and the original culture are one
and the same and volunteering is caring for Country.
Environment category recipient in the Volunteer of the
Year Award Joan Goodrum |
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Commendations |
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Roger Killeen
Commendation for Cross Category Volunteering Recipient
Nominated by Arthritis ACT. |
Under the Adult Migrant Education Scheme Roger Killeen
has been a volunteer home tutor for 11 years. He is currently
assisting an Afghani family to learn English, Australian customs
and culture and the complications of local Government administration.
Roger’s involvement with Diabetes Australia activities
goes back 15 years. He recently completed the Diabetes Buddies
training course.
His other community commitments include,
- Toastmasters International
- ACT Education, Youth and Family Services.
- Member of Healthcare Consumers Association
Roger Killeen’s volunteer duties with Arthritis ACT,
Diabetes ACT, ACT Toastmasters International and the Home
Tutor scheme all have a direct and positive impact on the
local community and Roger spends an average of 24 hours each
week performing his wide and varied volunteer roles. |
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Dr.Mandy Scott.
Commendation in the Education Category
Nominated by the Association for Learning Mandarin in Australia. |
 Dr.
Mandy Scott was a volunteer English tutor with the home Tutor
Scheme in the 1980’s and 1990’s, and is now involved
in promoting knowledge of Chinese language and culture.
Since 2000 Mandy has been active in
- Developing the Mandarin Community Tutoring Project
- Promoting social contacts between Chinese and non Chinese
people living in the ACT
- Establishing links with other ACT organizations and community
organizations to promote more understanding of Chinese language
and culture.
- Supporting and promoting the Mandarin Program at Mason
Primary School
Over 350 people have taken part in the Mandarin Community
Tutoring Project which Mandy instigated in 2001. This project
which is free to all participants brings together ACT residents
who are fluent speakers of Mandarin and other residents who
want to learn the language. Mandy’s term as president
of the Association for Learning Mandarin has seen the Association
increases its membership base and also it’s range of
activities. It is becoming a one-stop-shop for people who
want to learn Mandarin or more about Chinese culture |
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Michael Andrews.
Commendation for Community category
Nominated by Scouts Australia ACT Branch Inc. |
 Mick
Andrews joined the Scouting Movement in 1993 but unfortunately
a posting to sea in his real job in the Navy forced his resignation
in 1995.
In 1998 however Mick rejoined, this time at Lanyon Scout
Group. His scouts never looked back and Mick recognised the
advantages of the International Scout Movement by taking a
number of his scouts on a 32 day trip around the British Isles
in 2000 where they visited a number of Scouting sites.
In March 2001 Mick was selected as the Scouts ACT Commissioner
for the Scouts section He encouraged leaders to commit to
his “Do it for the Scouts” program encouraging
youth to contribute to their local communities.
Little did Mick know that 10 years after expressing an interest
in being a Scout Leader he would be in charge of a project
involving 400 scouts, over 100 volunteers providing 500, 00
service hours and a budget of $500,000. In January 2004 he
led the 500-person ACT Contingent to the Australian Scout
Jamboree in Adelaide. As Scout Commissioner Mick was responsible
for the delivery of a quality program to the Scout Section.
In 2002 Mick had a serious road accident resulting in him
becoming wheelchair bound. He has commented many times that
his friends and his involvement in scouting have kept him
sane.
On May 1st this year Mick moved back to working with young
people as Scout Leader of 1st Bungendore Troop. Mick Andrews
will always be a Scout. |
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Des Maguire
Commendation for Science and Technology Category
Nominated by Questacon |
 Des
Maguire has been volunteering his time and talent at Questacon
for the past 15 and 1/2 years. During this time Des has committed
over 2100 hours as a Questacon Explainer. Des offers an educational
experience to many of the 350,000 annual visitors to Questacon,
promoting science and technology and the relevance it has
to every day life. Des as an explainer contributes to project
teams, and assists with training new and active volunteers.
Des is always striving to be up to date himself with the
latest exhibitions to ensure the visitors he is guiding maximise
the enjoyment of their experience. |
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Mr Ian McLeod
Commendation for Science and Technology Category
Nominated by Questacon |
 Ian
Macleod has been with Questacon for the past 13 years and
has committed over 4500 hours of his time and talent as an
integral part of the Questacons operation. Ian is extremely
self-motivated, and his work is performed with minimum supervision
due to his extensive experience as a volunteer explainer.
Ian works with a diverse range of people, and always displays
courtesy and respect to other team members and to the thousands
of customers he assists. Ian also contributes to sparking
an awareness of the relevance of science to hundreds of children
and families each week and is very much a link from our past
and into our future and is invaluable to Questacon’s
volunteer program. |
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More
Photos |
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Mary Porter AM, CEO of Volunteering
ACT presenting the Volunteer of the Year Award to Clive Monty. |
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Volunteer of the Year 2003,
Frank Millburn, congratulates Volunteer of the Year 2004,
Clive Monty. |
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