Giving back to my Local Community
Raised as a Dairy Farmer’s daughter, you learn how giving back and community contribution is key to living a fulfilling life.
For Positive Mental Health I align with charities that make a positive difference and touch my heart. I regularly volunteer for Smart Pups Assistance Dogs, The Compass Institute, Bloomhill Cancer Care, Sconetime and Visit Sunshine Coast.
Training Guide & Assistance Dogs
For 20 years, I’ve loved training Guide and Assistance Dogs. We’re up to training puppy #35 (but hey, who’s counting?!) Being part of the dogs intensive training involves teaching them home manners as well as taking the pup into cafes, restaurants, on public transport and anywhere a client goes. Yes it breaks your heart a little when they leave! The wonderful outcome allows clients with Autism, Diabetes, Epilepsy/Seizure Detection and Response, Mobility Assistance, Disabilities or Visual Impairments enjoy a better quality of life helping them travel, socialise and enjoy an independent life once more with their trusted four legged companion.
Training Guide Dog ‘Lucy’
I was honoured to be on the front cover of Hinterland Times with Smart Pup ‘Vinnie’ encouraging new Puppy Carers onto our programme.
Training Assistance Dog ‘Kiri’
Santa fun time with ‘Kiri’ and my husband Giuseppe
Training Seeing Eye Dog ‘Paige’
Fund raising for The Compass Institute
The Compass Institute is an award winning Sunshine Coast based charity run by David Dangerfield and is dedicated to providing support for people with intellectual and/or physical disabilities. I volunteer helping with fund raising events – their Annual Golf Day, Race Night, Gala and assisting the Trainees at Connections Cafe.
Helping out the trainees at Connections Cafe Nambour.
Volunteering at The Compass Institute’s Annual Golf Day.
Having a Strawberry farmer as a hubby lends to donating 40kg of our strawberries so the Harvest Kitchen made and sold their jam.
Sconetime
It’s great helping out at the monthly Sconetime community events hosted by ‘Sunshine Coast Foodie’ Martin Duncan. He bakes freshly baked scones, and we load them with home-made jam and cream, serving them with a smile to our guests. It’s a wonderful get-together for a cup of tea or freshly brewed Montville Coffee, all served on beautiful crockery, with live entertainment and meeting new and old friends for a chat.
So much fun joining Martin Duncan – ‘Sunshine Coast Foodie’ in hosting his regular Sconetimes on the Sunshine Coast.
Always lots of smiles, laughter and joy teaming up with the volunteers, serving delicious scones.
Delicious Montville Coffee is the perfect addition to Sconetime.
Bloomhill Cancer Care
It is a pleasure volunteering for Bloomhill Cancer Care which is a local community-based integrative cancer care centre, providing compassionate care for people of all ages on the Sunshine Coast impacted by cancer. I help out at their major fund-raisers -Mercedez-Benz and Bloomhill Cancer Care's Annual Charity Auction, Melbourne Cup Race Day and their regular sausage sizzles.
Volunteering with Joe Surace of Bloomhill Cancer Care for their annual Mercedez-Benz Fundraiser.
Lots of fun at Sausage sizzle fund-raisers.
A ‘Grease’ themed Bloomhill Cancer Care night.
Volunteering at the Melbourne Cup Race Day Fund Raiser at Buderim Tavern.
Volunteered at Glass House Information Centre
For five years and just around the corner from where we live, I volunteered at the Glass House Mountains Information Centre. I enjoyed meeting local, interstate/international tourists, back-packers on foot, families with caravans, bikers, trekkers and the odd 4WD enthusiast. It was a great way to meet a diverse range of people and showcase our beautiful part of the world.
The beautiful Glass House Mountains.
The team of dedicated volunteers at Glass House Information Centre with Visit Sunshine Coast.
Every shift you learn something new and meet wonderful people.
Completing 8 week fitness challenge – HIIT Australia
Sometimes you need to give back – to yourself. After experiencing a health crisis (bronchitis that turned into pneumonia, that turned into pleurisy), being hospitalised twice and on 5 rounds of antibiotics…I was not able to walk a few metres without being out of breath due to being unable to exercise for 3 months. In 8 weeks, I regained my fitness, lost body fat and increased my muscle tone, along with a superb group of 60 members and wonderful trainers at HIIT Kawana.