By Margaret Maccoll
Noosa is fortunate to have a large contingent of volunteers who help with a vast array of services from organising events and maintaining waterways to lifesaving and other emergency services. Noosa Today spoke to just a couple of the area’s army of volunteers. To celebrate National Volunteer Week Noosa’s volunteers will be acknowledged with a champagne breakfast on Friday 25 May from 8-9.30am at Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club.
Anne Smith hospital volunteer
A dedicated group of volunteers at Noosa Hospital is making a huge difference to patients and staff though the work and assistance they provide.
One of those is Noosa Hospital Volunteers’ Association secretary and a member of the Noosa Hospital Community Advisory Committee Anne Smith.
Having moved to Noosa from Victoria, Anne saw an advertisement in the paper looking for people to form a volunteer group at the hospital. That was 18 years ago and now the group numbers about 50.
Having been a nurse Anne understands the pressures on staff and the apprehension felt by patients.
Anne began her training in 1960 at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, then completed midwifery at the Royal Women’s Hospital. She retired in 1997 when she was Director of Nursing at Numurkah Hospital.
Nowadays her four-hour voluntary shifts are spent escorting patients to various departments, helping sort paperwork, taking around a library trolley, arranging flowers or just having a chat with the patients.
“We understand that sometimes being in hospital, especially the oncology or renal treatment sections, can be rather daunting, so we take pleasure in being able to sit with patients and have a chat,” she said.
“I can appreciate how important it is to help with areas like paperwork to allow the nurses more time with the patients, which is always valuable.”
An extra group of volunteers man the patient buggy transport; a courtesy buggy to take patients to and from the main entrance and their cars.
For volunteers like Anne the rewards are many.
“I’m still here. I’m still smiling so it can’t be too bad,” she said.
