THE best of the best in volunteering has been recognised, with Forbes’ Elise Dukes scoring the top gong for Youth Volunteer of the Year for the region.
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The annual awards are run by The Centre for Volunteering and acknowledge the work of the 112,000 volunteers across NSW.
Awards were presented across five categories, including: young volunteer, adult volunteer, senior volunteer, volunteer team and overall regional winner.
There were 420 finalists from across the region.
Elise, 17, received the award for her role with the Forbes Youth Action Team, as well as her volunteer work with a hockey team and her school’s wellness community.
“I was completely surprised. I know that there are people who have done a lot more than I have,” she said following her win.
“I wasn’t expecting it.”
Elise said it was a great honour to have been awarded Youth Volunteer of the Year award, and she plans to continuing volunteering well into the future.
“It’s great, I love it,” she said.
During her five years of volunteering with the Forbes Youth Team, she has been part of a tight-knit team who have organised events and activities for young people.
“Everyone else from different schools come together to organise things for the community,” Elise said.
“We’ve organised a colour run, movie events and a musical where we got local bands to perform at a festival.”
Elise, who is currently completing her Year 11 studies at Forbes High Schools and working part time, said there was always time for people to volunteer.
“I’m completing Year 11 and I’ve got a job and this isn’t the only volunteering I do, so no matter what you do you can find time,” she said.
Other volunteer award winners included Anne Hopwood who received the Senior Volunteer of the Year Award for her time with FoodCare Orange.
Karlene Irwin was awarded Adult Volunteer of the Year and Overall Regional Volunteer of the Year for her role as founder of Pay it Forward Community Shed Orange.
The Volunteer Team of the Year was presented to The Neighbourhood Centre Driver Supervisor Team in Bathurst.
Regional winners will now go on to compete at the state finals later this year.
The Centre for Volunteering chief executive officer Gemma Rygate said it was pleasing to recognise and celebrate the outstanding efforts of volunteers from across the region.
“They all give so much without asking for anything in return,” she said.