Awards surprise for Silver Chain service

Faces lit up with smiles at Challenger Court Hall on Friday afternoon when long-serving Rockingham Kwinana Silver Chain Branch Committee volunteers were surprised with an awards ceremony.

Up to 40 members were presented long service awards recognising their significant voluntary contribution over significant milestones.

An inspirational gathering, the event gave Silver Chain the opportunity to thank Mundijong resident Daisy McBroom who started volunteering for the not-for-profit organisation about 1974.

The 92-year-old, who received a 30-year award, said her journey began many moons ago when a friend invited her to a committee meeting.

“She brought me to the meeting and I have just stayed on ever since,” she said.

“I just like helping. I used to be involved in the jumble sales, raffles, gala days and all that but now I am too elderly and I live too far away that I can’t come to garage sales but I come to the meeting as much as I can.”

Mrs McBroom reminisced on memories from 20 years ago when she was in a Kwinana Silver Chain group known as the Tuesday Girls.

“We used to do sewing and make toys and we would sell them for Silver Chain,” she said.

The passionate community member said she had enjoyed every year of volunteering and still knitted on a weekly basis.

“I like to help, volunteering wherever I can. It has always just come naturally to me somehow,” she said.

Branch manager Maxine Byass said she organised the event because she believed it was time the ladies were recognised.

The Rockingham Kwinana Branch is the biggest of Silver Chain’s 13 fundraising groups with about 77 members.

National Volunteer Week kicked off on Monday nationwide.