Taken from Cootamundra Herald 06.10.14 WITHOUT the selfless dedication of volunteers so many organisations in Cootamundra would not exist. A glance through the volunteer rosters of any organisations shows it is often the same people who put their hand up to help. One such volunteer Betti Punnett has been recognised for all she does as the 2014 Senior Volunteer of the Year and 2014 Riverina Volunteer of the Year at the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards in Wagga last week. A wonderful surprise for one of the most hardworking volunteers in the Cootamundra community, Ms Punnett was humble about the honour saying she came from a background where helping others was the done thing. “Part of it is that my mother and father were always involved,” she said. The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards is an annual awards program to recognise the outstanding efforts of the two million plus volunteers in NSW, and to promote the importance of volunteering to the community. In an effort to highlight the many volunteers within Cootamundra, Cootamundra Shire Council submitted a number of nominations including Ms Punnett’s. She may have retired from the workforce in the ‘90s but Ms Punnett is busier than ever dedicating herself to the community. She played an integral role in the organisation of the Centenary Celebrations of the Cootamundra Aboriginal Girls Home in 2012. She is the secretary/treasurer of the Cootamundra Heritage Centre overseeing the full operations of the centre. She is on the Management Committee and volunteer roster of Bradman’s Birthplace Museum, is the secretary of the Cootamundra Historical Society, president of the Cootamundra Branch of U3A and an active committee member for Muttama Creek Regeneration Group. She is a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and the Cootamundra Community Soup Kitchen and so much more. With such diverse roles it is no surprise to see Ms Punnett recognised. Very surprised and elated, Ms Punnett spoke during the ceremony of her love for volunteering and how she does it for the community not for accolades. Always humble she thanked the NSW Volunteer of the Year committee for the honour and Cootamundra Shire for the nomination. Cootamundra mayor Jim Slattery attended the ceremony and summed up the value of volunteering within the Cootamundra Community. “Like most small communities, volunteers are the backbone of many organisations within Cootamundra Shire,” Cr Slattery said. “The Cootamundra Arts Centre, from a run down building to a state-of-the-art Art Centre is run by Volunteers. “Bradman Birthplace Museum and Cootamundra Heritage Centre are fully manned by volunteers. “The Cootamundra Community Soup Kitchen supply, at no charge, over 50 meals to Cootamundra residents, in need, every week.” Cr Slattery noted volunteers give their time, labour and expertise and expect very little in return. “Your selfless giving is an inspiration to us all,” Cr Slattery said. The Cootamundra Community Soup Kitchen Volunteer Team was also awarded a certificate for Team Volunteer of the Year Finalist and Cr Slattery, as a volunteer of the Soup Kitchen accepted this certificate on their behalf. Ms Punnett now moves onto the State Awards Ceremony in Sydney in December.
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 02:20:44 +0000
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