To celebrate National Volunteer Week (13-19 May), CFA is saying “thanks a million” to its volunteers, families and employers for everything they do. This week we will feature a series of profile stories to highlight the great work and diversity of our volunteer members.
If the reception desk at Montrose’s Tullamore Mercy Aged Care facility is unattended, it’s more than likely Sally Conner isn’t on her tea break, but instead dashing to the fire station to turn out to an incident.
“If I feel that I’m free to go (they all know the sound of the pager when it goes off), I ask (Service Manager) Erin (Kennedy) and if she’s OK, I’m out the door in my high heels down to the fire station,” Sally said.
For the residents and staff of the facility at the foot of Mt Dandenong, Sally’s pager gives them all a sense of comfort, particularly during summer.
“We’re a vulnerable community, having Sally during here during periods of high fire danger means we feel extra protected because we get advanced warning through Sally, so for us it’s absolutely wonderful,” Said Service Manager Erin Kennedy.
As the daughter of a CFA volunteer and aged care manager, Erin says she appreciates the common thread of commitment to a community.
“We are a not for profit organisation like CFA so by helping out the community with Sally and CFA it’s our little way of helping, we can’t afford to donate money, so this our way of contributing.
People who work here are very special, they’re not doing it for the money and the fact someone like Sally puts her extra time into a worthwhile community organisation, it’s pretty dear to our heart.”
Tullamore’s support of Sally was honoured as part of National Volunteer Week (13-19 May) where a specially framed “Spirit of CFA” print was presented, along with a CFA Firestar Rose for the facilities rose garden.
If you have a volunteer story you would like to share, get in touch with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Story by Gerard Scholten
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Author: CFA Media