Years of experience as a "mum's taxi" gave Parkes' Betty Somers the training necessary to volunteer for meals on wheels.
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On Wednesday last week Mrs Somers was recognised for her service to the organisation when she was named the 2019 Orange Electorate Woman of the Year Award recipient.
The award is part of the NSW Women of the Year Awards.
"When we were growing up as kids we lived 30 kilometres out of town and we both played cricket and we both played hockey and we loved tennis," son Graeme Tanswell said of his mother's 'qualifications' to volunteer with meals on wheels.
"It has been a privilege," Mrs Somers said of her year's of service.
"Of course as soon as Graeme left school I had to do Meals on Wheels," she said.
"It's just a wonderful service and we just love seeing those older people who can’t wait for us to come in and won’t let us go sometimes.
"It’s a real privilege to have been nominated to start with let alone chosen amid so many worthy community minded women," she said.
Presenting the award, member for Orange Phil Donato described Mrs Somers as the type of person who is the "backbone of our communities".
“Betty Somers is a woman who has impressed myself and many others with her exceptional level of dedication to her community, volunteering in various roles virtually every day of the week for many years,” Mr Donato said.
“She possesses that rare quality of an endless capacity to reach out to help people in her community."
Mrs Somers provides bereavement support through her training in pastoral care and she delivers meals as part of the Meals on Wheels program – a task she has lovingly carried out for 33 years.
She also visits frail and elderly residents of her community who often feel isolated in their homes.
“Another example of Betty’s generosity with her time is regularly attending Southern Cross aged care facility, devoting time to residents to ensure they are able to participate in pastoral care services," Mr Donato said.
“She is a truly humble woman – never seeking any type of thanks or recognition for the endless hours of volunteering in her community,”
Winner of the 2018 Orange Electorate Woman of the Year, Rochelle Ashcroft of Orange congratulated Mrs Somers.
“I was so honoured to have been presented with this award last year,” Ms Ashcroft said. “I felt it wasn’t really my award, but instead saw it as recognising the generosity of everyone who donates to our charity, Let’s Make Better.”
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