Volunteer work is a noble service, acknowledged and appreciated by all.

People who perform volunteer work often do so without pay, in an effort to help those less fortunate then themselves.

On Sunday 8^th September 2019, teacher and volunteer, Donna Cartwright, was named the Volunteer of the Year.

“It’s wonderful to be an example to kids. Some of my students have seen things in the newspaper and magazines and they really got a kick out of seeing me outside of the classroom, so it’s a wonderful opportunity, in that regard, to be an example for the next generation”, exclaimed Donna.

Donna is the vice-president at an organisation called Mums Supporting Families in Need (MSFIN) which is run by volunteers out of a warehouse in Seaford, a short five-minute drive from Frankston.

The company’s belief is that “every child has a right to have their daily basic needs met”.

Their aim is to provide material aid, such as clothing, linen, toiletries, and much more, to struggling families in Victoria.

Donna said the $1,000 prize money she won can keep MSFIN going for a week and a half, and in that time, they will be able to help around 50 families.

The local company, according to the Impact Volunteering website, has “supported more than 10,000 children and 4,000 families”.

When asked about what this award means for the Frankston community, Frankston City Council Mayor, Sandra Mayer, said, “we are so lucky that our community is home to many amazing individuals and groups who want to improve the lives of those around them. I am very proud of Donna and the work of all the dedicated volunteers at Mums Supporting Families in Need”.

The award has helped promote the work that the volunteers at Mums Supporting Families in Need does for the local Frankston community.

Donna said, “it was lovely just to be nominated, and it’s helped get the name of the organisation out there a lot, which is really important”.

Donna also shared the story of a lady who had impacted on her and her team significantly in 2019.

“There was another client who was buying the babies clothing 3 or 4 sizes too big, cause she just couldn’t keep up with how fast the baby was growing and she couldn’t afford to go every week and buy it new clothes, so she was buying them far to big initially so that they would grow and she would get more use out of the clothes”.

Donna and her team are excited to see what 2020 has in store for MSFIN and are just grateful for the ongoing support of the Frankston community.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• https://www.msfin.org.au/
• https://www.impactvolunteering.org.au/news/2019/8/16/2019votyawinners
• https://www.dictionary.com/browse/volunteer
• https://www.frankston.vic.gov.au/Your_Council/Media_and_Publications/Frankston_City_News

NOTE: This is a 400-word news article I wrote for my university unit Local Journalism