TWO of the Manning Valley’s most beloved volunteers, Pam Hollebone and Lucia Bokulic, were honoured at the NSW Seniors Week Achievement Awards, held last Sunday at Sydney’s Recital Hall.
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Pam and Lucia are both well known for their enormous contribution to the life of the community.
The awards are held on the first Sunday of Seniors Week every year. This year there were 59 recipients from all over NSW.
Lucia said it was an amazing time to be in the city, as celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Sydney Harbour Bridge were taking place and it was also St Patrick’s Day.
“Roads were closed. People were everywhere. It was very festive,” she said.
Pam received her award for her tireless dedication to life-long learning and Lucia received her award in recognition of her extraordinary involvement in many community organisations.
Pam Hollebone’s devotion to life long learning is best expressed through her stewardship of Taree’s University of the Third Age (U3A), part of a world wide organisation that caters to the learning interests of citizens aged over 50 years. There are more than 100 centres throughout Australia and hundreds more throughout the world.
Pam draws upon her skills as a former high school teacher when programming over 30 activities each term, to be run weekly. Pam is the editor of the quarterly newsletter and is the general ‘go to’ person, assisting with whatever is required.
Pam’s devotion to U3A is well known and many members have commented that they would be lost without her.
“U3A is a wonderful organisation as it provides a way for seniors to remain physically, mentally and socially engaged within the broader community. Our programs are designed to cater to the creative and intellectual interests of our members, with three or four major outings planned every term,” Pam said.
Lucia Bokulic is one of the region’s most active community volunteers. Some of Lucia’s longest tenures include 14 years with the Manning Valley Neighbourhood Services, 14 years with 2BOB radio, 12 years with the Mid North Coast Multicultural Network, 12 years with the Manning Valley U3A, 11 years with the Flair Fashion Awards and seven years with the Global Friendship Group.
These are just a few of the long list of organisations to benefit from Lucia’s civic mindedness which saw her named the 2007 Greater Taree City Council Citizen of the Year and last year’s prestigious National Volunteer Award.
So how did Lucia come to volunteer for such a vast and eclectic range of organisations?
“After my husband passed my neighbour said I needed to find something to do,” Lucia recalls.
“I started with one thing and that led me to others, one really just flowed into the other.”
Formerly from Austria, Lucia has particular pride in the work she has done to promote multiculturalism on the Mid North Coast.
“I am passionate about multiculturalism, I believe every person is entitled to be treated sensitive to their individual needs,” she said.
