It’s Volunteer Appreciation Week (May 19–25), and we’re celebrating the incredible people who help make Lifeview feel like a community as well as a home.
Volunteers bring warmth, joy, and connection into our homes, and none more so than Reta, who this year marks 10 years of dedicated service to Lifeview alongside her friend Gill.
The pair have been making handmade cards for more than 30 years each. When Reta’s daughter asked if she’d like to share the hobby with residents, the answer was an enthusiastic yes.
“That’s how we started, we went down to one home and then it just grew from there,” Reta said.
Reta and Gill met online through their shared love of crafting, only to discover they lived just five minutes apart. Now, they spend hours each week volunteering their time.
“We go in on Wednesday to Argyle Court, and the following week to Willow Wood... Gill and I also meet on a Tuesday, and we prep for the week by making the kits and getting everything ready,” Reta said.
“I don’t class it as a job or a chore, we look forward to going.”
For Reta, it’s the connections with residents that matter most, whether people come to make cards or just for a chat.
And several residents have truly taken to the craft.
“Some of them have got so good that they sit down and do their own thing, they don’t follow our guides anymore,” she said.
Reta and Gill’s story is just one example of how volunteers bring creativity, care, and a sense of community to Lifeview, making every day a little brighter.
“As long as they go away with a smile on their face, I’ve done my duty,” Reta says.
“We love it just as much as the residents love us coming.
“I would hope if my nan were still around, someone would do it for her. Just put a smile on her face.”
To Reta, Gill, and everyone else who gives up their time to volunteer, your dedication, passion and effort do not go unnoticed. On behalf of all at Lifeview, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
If you would like to volunteer at Lifeview, please reach out to marketing@lifeview.com.au.
About Lifeview
Lifeview delivers innovative, award-winning care and wellness through four homes in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs. With a model that is a world away from the “traditional nursing home model”, Lifeview residents are afforded an industry-leading social and lifestyle program, exceptional care and wellness, and delicious and nutritious meals prepared by qualified chefs. Lifeview is proudly pet-friendly, with residents encouraged to bring their beloved pets into the home when they join the community. As a proudly Rainbow Tick accredited organisation, Lifeview is inclusive and welcoming. Learn more about the Lifeview difference at www.lifeview.com.au
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Media enquiries: cwinnell@lifeview.com.au
