Olive no ‘ordinary little lady’

Ask Hopetoun’s Olive Wellington to describe herself, and she’ll tell you she’s a bit like salt and pepper – she’s in everything.

From the Hopetoun Red Cross Australia branch to the former Hopetoun Football Club, the 86-year-old admits she likes to ‘keep her finger on the pulse’ of her community.

And it is this lifelong love for and dedication to the southern Mallee town that saw her awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia on Sunday.

Mrs Wellington, a mother of seven, grandmother of 18 and great-grandmother of 30, said family was the driving force behind her community participation.

“My family has been here forever as they say,” she said.

“If we’re talking 50 years ago, I had two aunts who were very involved in the community, and they dragged me off the street to be part of Red Cross.

“And I had seven kids, so I have had to be pretty involved because of them too, with their sport and school. Probably kinder was the first thing I got involved with; I was secretary there and that sort of grew.

“Over the years, of course, we had little athletics and all those things that we don’t have anymore, but I was involved with all that. I also used to organise the junior tennis.

“Anything that’s going on in town I’m usually a part of.”

Of her extensive list of volunteering and community work, Mrs Wellington’s contribution to Hopetoun Red Cross is among the most notable.

Mrs Wellington said she had enjoyed a position in Red Cross since the Hopetoun branch started, including roles of treasurer, publicity officer and secretary.

She was instrumental in starting Junior Red Cross activities at Hopetoun’s St Joseph’s Primary School about 35 years ago, and last year, received a long-service award for 50 years’ contribution to the overall organisation.

Mrs Wellington said because of Hopetoun’s declining population, it was more important than ever for people to be involved in the community, its groups and committees, to keep people’s spirits alive.

“I really love Hopetoun, and I’m very proud of what it has got,” she said.

“But with a declining population of course we’ve got to keep everyone motivated, so most people are in committees now. You’ve got to have people on these committees to run anything in the town.

“With Red Cross, our task nowadays like any small town branch, is to just have fundraisers and be involved with our community.”

Mrs Wellington has also facilitated the donation of thousands of dollars to the Royal Children’s Hospital by placing collection tins across town.

She said she aimed to send about $4000 to $5000 to the hospital – which frequently looked after families and children from the region – each year.

“I wouldn’t know how much I’ve sent altogether,” she said.

“But I can only support charities through the generosity of the town. On my own, I’m just an ordinary little old lady.”