GRAMPIANS Community Health has taken time out to acknowledge some of its longest serving volunteers.
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The volunteers were acknowledged during a special luncheon conducted on International Volunteer Day.
The luncheon, at the Stawell Trackside Bar and Bistro, treated about 50 volunteers to a well earned meal and dessert.
Jo Fuller received a certificate for 20 years of service to the Stawell community for leading the Active For Life group.
The group has about 30 members who attend at the Stawell Leisure Centre every Monday morning for exercise.
Sue Cunningham was also presented with a certificate in recognition of her 20 years of service as a co-ordinator of volunteers at Grampians Community Health. Over this time, Sue has managed the Do Care visiting program.
Certificates of appreciation were presented to John Bradley and Kerrie Hodder for their 15 years service, while Cheryl Withers, Garry Middleton and Margaret Perry were each recognised for clocking up a decade of service to the Stawell community.
Shirley Jamieson received a certificate for her five years of service to the organisation, while mention was made of retiring volunteers Gail McCullough (nine years), Ron Harris (10 years) and John Bradley (15 years).
Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985, International Volunteer Day is celebrated each year on December 5.
This year, the day sought to highlight the contribution of volunteers in engaging people from the grassroots in decision making processes.
Ultimately, these decisions create space for participation that leads to stronger governance, social cohesion, peace and sustainable development.
The message to the community as put forward through the theme for 2014 was clear: Make Change Happen, Volunteer.
International Volunteer Day provided volunteer organisations and individual volunteers with the opportunity to raise the public awareness of their contributions to economic and social development at local, national and international levels.
The day was celebrated worldwide with many thousands of volunteers involved in a range of events as diverse as the volunteers themselves.
Events included clean-up campaigns, conferences, exhibitions, morning teas and many other activities such as the luncheon held in Stawell, all aimed at highlighting the role of volunteers in communities.