BALLARAT\u2019S inaugural Informal Volunteer of the Year Awards were held at the Australian Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades on Tuesday Evening.<\/p>\n
The major honour was awarded to Wendy Vorstenbosch, an advocate for women\u2019s health and fitness.<\/p>\n
\u201cWendy has been working over many years to encourage and provide a fun, safe and inclusive environment for women to become physically active in the community,\u201d awards co-organiser Cathy Bushell said.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe has formed the 30 together group and organises free or low cost, non-competitive and fun activities such as pickle ball, tennis, and line dancing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWendy has amassed over 130 members in the group and encourages women of all ages and abilities to participate.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe takes time to teach and encourage newcomers and is committed to ongoing awareness-raising through engagement via Facebook groups across the Ballarat region.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Vorstenbosch said she was surprised to hear her name read out but was proud of the group she\u2019s been able to bring together.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been going for years now,\u201d she said. \u201cWe hit to each other, we laugh and giggle, it\u2019s non-competitive and there\u2019s no judgement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoy making new friends and forming the community. It\u2019s a good excuse to get up and keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thirteen-year-old Freya Leela Vimal was named Young Informal Volunteer of the Year for her efforts teaching children to dance, donating hair for cancer patients, and helping friends, neighbours, and aged care home residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cFreya is described as someone who embodies the spirit of volunteerism and sets an inspiring example for others to follow which is especially impressive given her young age,\u201d Ms Bushell said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe future of Ballarat is in safe hands.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrudula Wilson won Adult Informal Volunteer of the Year, while Senior Informal Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Jack Yang.<\/p>\n
Ms Wilson aims to improve the health and wellbeing of women with multicultural backgrounds, while Mr Yang leads free daily Tai Chi classes at Lake Wendouree and teaches English to older Chinese community members.<\/p>\n
The awards evening was an initiative of participants of the Committee for Ballarat\u2019s Future Shapers program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BALLARAT\u2019S inaugural Informal Volunteer of the Year Awards were held at the Australian Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades on Tuesday Evening. The major honour was awarded to Wendy Vorstenbosch, an advocate for women\u2019s health and fitness. \u201cWendy has been working over many years to encourage and provide a fun, safe and inclusive environment […]<\/p>\n