National Volunteer Week (NVW) is an annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation’s volunteers. The theme Give Happy, Live Happy, introduced in 2015, continues in 2016 and celebrated during the week of 9th-15^th May.

This is an opportunity for the Assisi Centre to acknowledge and thank all of the volunteers for their generosity and outstanding commitment to the residents and for supporting the work undertaken by our staff.

This year our volunteers were invited to High Tea at the Assisi Centre. There was also a tribute film starring some of our residents, where they expressed their gratitude to the volunteers and sharing what their contribution means to them personally. The volunteers were all presented with a certificate of appreciation and a gift.

We thank all the volunteers for freely giving their time. In fact, they have provided us with over 7,000 hours of support over the past year. We are delighted that they have chosen the Assisi Centre as their place to volunteer and we hope that in some small way that we are an extension to their family.

Their contribution to us is highly valued and acknowledged by our Committee of Management, our Management team, staff and residents.

I’d like
to mention that every minute of volunteers contribution allows the Assisi Centre to offer activities, events and services to the residents that would otherwise not be possible. Their involvement enables significant connections to take place which make a huge difference to the experiences enjoyed by the residents.

The Assisi Centre volunteers:

•  Assist residents to attend rosary, mass/ church

• Help residents with their reading, enjoy music and participate in singing

• Provide companionship, hand massage, assist with meals, do personal shopping and sewing

• Call tombola, run gentle exercise classes and provide help on bus outings

• Support our Lifestyle and Pastoral care programs

• Work tirelessly to assist the organisation with fundraising and special events

So to all our volunteers I say a big THANK YOU. The Assisi Centre is very grateful for their kindness and support and for making it the wonderful place that it is. They are very important to us, especially the residents who enjoy their company and who benefit from their help.

We look forward to them continuing the volunteer journey with us for many, many more years to come.

Grazie and Congratulations.

The video tribute to our volunteers can be viewed in the VOLUNTEER section of this website.