Volunteers honoured in 2023

This year’s National Volunteer Week theme is ‘The Change Makers’. It recognises that volunteering can drive change, support the inclusion of all people, and build a better society for all.

Volunteers are community-builders – they provide a bridge to greater social connections and social cohesion, which is crucial for our society. Glen Eira has a strong volunteering community that plays a vital role in the lives of so many people.

Council hosted its annual Community Awards 2023 on Wednesday 17 May at two events at Glen Eira Town Hall. As part of the events, Council presented its Volunteer Recognition Program Certificates of Appreciation to 167 local volunteers across 38 community groups.

Volunteers have been recognised in the following categories:

50 years

Recognition of 50 years of voluntary service to the Glen Eira community award to:

• Helga Anderson — Temple Society Australia

40 years

Recognition of 40 years of voluntary service to the Glen Eira community award to:

• David Bloom — Etz Chayim Progressive Synagogue
• Kath Kolb — B'nai B'rith Victoria
• Selwyn Nadelman — Caulfield Hebrew Congregation
• Venora Fidler — Murrumbeena Bowls Club

30 years

Recognition of 30 years of voluntary service to the Glen Eira community award to:

• Audrey Nelson — Murrumbeena Bowls Club
• Catherine McNaughton — Glen Eira Emergency Climate Action Network (GECAN)
• Chitra Wijesinghe — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation
• Geraldine (Gerry) Hamer — B'nai B'rith Victoria
• Gwen Brown — DJ Coakley East Bentleigh Senior Citizens Club
• John White — Delivered Meals - Glen Eira Council
• Lane Shmerling — Community Information and Support Glen Eira
• Malini Singhabahu — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation
• Ray Yates — Delivered Meals - Glen Eira Council
• Reginald Edward Gerreyn — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation

20 years

Recognition of 20 years of voluntary service to the Glen Eira community award to:

• Adrienne Sylva — Caulfield South Community House
• Alexander (Lex) Korngold — Emmy Monash Aged Care
• Danny Gluck — Caulfield Hebrew Congregation
• Dilys Anderson — Caulfield South Community House
• Harry Hertz — Armadale Bowls Club @ South Caulfield
• Helen Stanley — City of Moorabbin Historical Society at Box Cottage Museum Ormond
• Janet Overberg — U3A Bentleigh
• Margot James — DJ Coakley East Bentleigh Senior Citizens Club
• Marilla Rootsey — Murrumbeena Bowls Club
• Michael Thompson — Murrumbeena Bowls Club
• Olive Collingwood — U3A Bentleigh
• Rosemary Browning — U3A Bentleigh

10 years

Recognition of 10 years of voluntary service to the Glen Eira community award to:

• Barbara Hoad — Glen Eira Historical Society
• Batsheva Milner — Caulfield Hebrew Congregation
• Caroline Devagirge — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation
• Ciaran Roche — 306 ACU Monash
• David Janover — Armadale Bowls Club @ South Caulfield
• Dai Shun Zhang — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Deidre Wainrit — B'nai B'rith Victoria
• Deqing Sheng — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Erika Fleming — U3A Bentleigh Inc
• Gendi Li — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Geoff Gillan — St Johns Uniting Church Op Shop Elsternwick
• Guisheng Li — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Hunny Lipson — Armadale Bowls Club @ South Caulfield
• Jackie Somerville — C Care
• James Dale — City of Moorabbin Historical Society at Box Cottage Museum Ormond
• Julia Finkelstein — Etz Chayim Progressive Synagogue
• Julie Busch — Caulfield South Community House
• Jure Miocic — Murrumbeena Bowls Club
• Nathan Mittelman — Emmy Monash Aged Care
• Padmini Amarasuriya — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation
• Stephen McMillan — St Johns Uniting Church Op Shop Elsternwick
• Vasilios Dimitriou — The Argos & District Australian Greek Senior Citizens Club of Kastoria
• Yue Ying Li — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Yvonne Rado — St Johns Uniting Church Op Shop Elsternwick

2,000 hours

Recognition of 2,000 hours of voluntary service to the Glen Eira community award to:

• Benjy Orwin — Socks 4 Support
• Carol Pritchard — DJ Coakley East Bentleigh Senior Citizens Club
• Daya Weerasinghe — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation
• Frank Hanlon — East Bentleigh Village Garden
• Guiyun Li — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Guopei Wang — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Jiaxiang Wang — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Jinshu Li — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Jinxiu Xie — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Lorna De Alwis — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation
• Michael Bonacci — U3A Bentleigh
• Robyn Fetter — Emmy Monash Aged Care
• Ruby Lack — Calvary Health Care Bethlehem
• Sabrina Chakman — B'nai B'rith Courage to Care Vic
• Terry Lack — Calvary Health Care Bethlehem
• Warrick McDonald — Bentleigh RSL
• Xiaofeng Zhang — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Yueling Yao — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association

1,000 hours

Recognition of 1,000 hours of voluntary service to the Glen Eira community award to:

• Alan Sax — Delivered Meals - Glen Eira Council
• Bin Chen — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Clare Valentine — Carnegie Toy Library
• Consy Perera — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation
• David Hardham — Glen Eira Historical Society
• David Kweitel — Armadale Bowls Club @ South Caulfield
• David Purcell — Self Help Addiction Resource Centre
• Donald Oldfield — Delivered Meals - Glen Eira Council
• Dorothy Jayasuriya — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation
• Elena Woods — Carnegie Toy Library
• Emma Draper — Moorabbin Area Toy Library
• Evelyn Flitman — B'nai B'rith Victoria
• Joy Mawbey — Glen Eira Historical Society Inc
• Kerima Hamit — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation
• Lili Dina Sziewicz — Jewish Care Victoria
• Linfang Tang — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Lorraine Calnon — DJ Coakley East Bentleigh Senior Citizens Club
• Margaret Niedzwetzki — St Johns Uniting Church Op Shop Elsternwick
• Sichuan Zhang — Bentleigh Chinese Community Association
• Terry Hogan — Bentleigh RSL
• Wayne Holmes — Bentleigh RSL
• Yuri Zefira — Armadale Bowls Club @ South Caulfield

500 hours

Recognition of 500 hours of voluntary service to the Glen Eira community award to:

• Adrian Kirkwood — Etz Chayim Progressive Synagogue
• Alice Hawker — St Johns Uniting Church Op Shop Elsternwick
• Chun Hin Ng — Carnegie Community Laneways
• Daphne Saltzman — Jewish Bereaved Parents
• Debbie Max — Jewish Care Victoria
• Gemma Holleran — Carnegie Toy Library
• Gina Simpson — East Bentleigh Village Garden
• Glenda Megson — Carnegie Community Laneways
• Gunasena Dewundera — Sinhala Cultural & Community Services Foundation
• Helen Lock — Jewish Bereaved Parents Inc
• Isabelle Tabain — Community Information and Support Glen Eira
• John Lehner — Delivered Meals- Glen Eira Council
• John Grenville — Delivered Meals- Glen Eira Council
• John Fitzsimon — DJ Coakley East Bentleigh Senior Citizens Club
• Julian Josem — Self Help Addiction Resource Centre
• Khin Khin Htwe — Carnegie Community Laneways
• Lesley Skilney — Community Information and Support Glen Eira
• Lewis Bearman — Etz Chayim Progressive Synagogue
• Max Freilich — Etz Chayim Progressive Synagogue
• Michael O'Donovan — Community Information and Support Glen Eira
• Michael Holwill — East Bentleigh Village Garden
• Norman Tendler — B'nai B'rith Victoria
• Pamela Gelfand — Emmy Monash Aged Care
• Renate Axford — Moorabbin Area Toy Library
• Ronald Popper — Etz Chayim Progressive Synagogue
• Sara Gross — Moorabbin Area Toy Library
• Sean Whalan — Probus Club of Moorleigh
• Sharon Quick — Wesley College Parents’ Group
• Suzie Eisfelder — Etz Chayim Progressive Synagogue

If your name is not listed above, this is due to not having received your consent to publish your name. Please contact communityawards@gleneira.vic.gov.au to provide consent, and we will publish your name in the above list.