Ms Hodgkinson was unveiling the 2014 Hidden Treasures Honour Roll at the 2014 NSW Rural Women’s Gathering in Coolamon in southern NSW.

 Included among them are two Parkes women, Gay Daley and Christina De Dobbelaar.

Parkes has also had many other women included on the roll over recent years.

“These inspiring women from across NSW have been formally recognised in a unique annual honour roll known as Hidden Treasures,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

 “This honour roll provides a long lasting legacy to tireless women volunteers, who are the backbone of many rural and regional communities.

 “With more than 500 women now enshrined on the honour roll, this is our way of saying thank you and honouring what you do.

“The NSW Government values the contribution of our two million volunteers and I congratulate all the women whose achievements have today been recognised through the honour roll.”   

Hidden Treasures is a joint project of Department of Primary Industries’ Rural Women’s Network and The Centre for Volunteering, NSW.

For more information and a full list of this year’s Hidden Treasures Honour Roll awardees, visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/rwn.

Following are the submissions for the two Parkes women who were added to the Hidden Treasures Honour Roll...

Treasures

Gay Daley

Gay was born and grew up in Parkes where she completed her schooling.

She has raised two children, is a grandmother to five and a great grandmother to two.

Gay worked for 26 years with the Parkes Home Care Branch and since her retirement has become an outstanding volunteer at the Parkes Neighbourhood Centre.

As a volunteer receptionist Gay meets, greets and offers advice and support to all who visit the Centre.

She also volunteers for Meals on Wheels, the local Community Visitors Scheme and the local Community Transport Scheme.

Gay is generous with her time and is always available to assist and support members of her large family as required.

She is active throughout the community, helping those in need whether they are a friend, colleague or neighbour.

Gay is reliable and has a happy, caring and generous spirit.

She has excellent craft skills and regularly knits for local charities so items can be sent overseas to help children in need.

Gay participates in all Neighbourhood Centre events, supporting Seniors Week, Open Day and attending a range of other Parkes community events.

She is always willing to assist others.

Gay volunteers because she loves to assist her family and community in any way she can.

Christine De Dobbelaar.

As a baby, Christine’s first  bassinette was a timber fruit box that the family placed on the back seat of the car when travelling.

Earthen floors, a timber cottage on the edge of a creek and an isolated rural childhood were the humble beginnings for this outstanding woman.

Educational opportunities were unsupported by a generation fixed in the belief that women should subservient, and children should be seen and not heard.

Despite such adversities Christine’s development and growth surged, aided by her gift of determination and resilience.

Her generous heart and efforts in support of others are now recognised throughout her local community.

As a Eucharist Minister, Christine provides Holy Communion to residents in local nursing homes, to those in hospital and to the housebound.

She is a volunteer at the Catholic Church for calendar events, funerals and fundraising and she calls nursing home Bingo.

Christine visits those in the community who have no visitors and help with fundraising on footpaths to support the talent and joy that country music brings to many.

She has spent countless hours supporting cancer patients and survivors through Can Assist – including coordinating and participating in ‘home renovation’ events to help those in need.

Christine loves country music and assists the local Community Transport Scheme, always offering a supportive hand and calm advice.

The influence of other families strong in faith and inclusiveness paved a way for Christine being able to give without expectation of return, which is exactly what she does today.