ELEVEN Shortland volunteers have been recognised for their tireless unpaid work in the community.
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Federal member for Shortland Jill Hall presented the 2015 Shortland Volunteer Awards at a ceremony on Thursday night.
Charlestown’s Mercia Buck was awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award.
Ms Buck works with local music groups to organise concerts.
She established Opera Hunter, the Lake Macquarie Eisteddfod, the Lake Macquarie Orchestra and the Lake Macquarie Philharmonic Orchestra.
The 2015 Community Group of the Year Award went to Sailability in Belmont, which offers sailing classes to people with disabilities.
Junior Volunteer of the Year in the 17 years and under category was jointly awarded to two recipients.
Belmont South’s Codie Bone delivers Neighbourhood Watch newsletters and helps nursing home residents during outings and events.
Warners Bay’s Charli Vale raised more than $6000 for ovarian cancer research and donated her hair to the Princess Charlotte Alopecia Program to make wigs for children with alopecia – an autoimmune disease that causes spot baldness.
Youth Volunteer of the Year in the 18 to 25 years category went to Curtis Yates, of Charlestown.
Curtis works with Charlestown Caring Group as a bus escort, group activities coordinator and pianist.
Redhead’s Colin Mondy won Senior Volunteer of the Year.
Mr Mondy leads the Redhead Sustainable Neighbourhood Group.
He coordinates the group’s volunteers, advocates on local issues and has been involved in the Redhead Progress Association.
Fellow Redhead resident Brian Hilton was recognised as Environmental Volunteer of the Year for his work with Landcare and the Redhead Coastal Corridor Project.
The Health or Disability Services Volunteer of the Year was another category taken out by two nominees – Carolyn Bear, of Valentine, and Rose Molloy, of Redhead.
Ms Bear is a major fundraiser and ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Australia.
Having lost her daughter Kylie to ovarian cancer in 2012, Ms Bear raises money and awareness through selling handmade bracelets.
Ms Molloy is also an ambassador for the foundation.
She was diagnosed with the disease in 2012 and speaks regularly to local groups, sharing her story and educating women about the signs and symptoms.
The 2015 Emergency Management Volunteer was Caves Beach’s Michael Mottley.
Mr Mottley is a patrol captain for Caves Beach Surf Life Saving Club and works with the Hunter Branch and Surf Life Saving NSW as an emergency services officer.
He is on the 24/7 emergency call-out team.
Swansea Meals on Wheels volunteer of 42 years Maureen Adams received the Long Term Commitment to Community Service award.
Ms Adams cooks and delivers meals, organises rosters and recruits volunteers.
