The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Volunteers are a vital part of the St Mary of the Angels story...
HELEN O’Connor has over 30 years’ experience at St. Mary of the Angels and she is proud to be part of a wider team of people, many of whom have in excess of 25 years’ experience. This wealth of service and experience says a lot about the environment at St. Mary of the Angels where familiarity is important to the residents and their families.
For the past 3 years Helen has overseen the task of attracting volunteers from all walks of life urging them to get involved in helping to enhance day-to-day experiences for residents within their own community.
“We’ve had numerous volunteers helping us since we started our volunteering initiative. Some volunteers will come for a short period of time, while others will stay longer. It’s hugely beneficial,” Helen explained.
Having the extra manpower to help with day trips is vitally important as the more people volunteer, the more the residents can enjoy a more fulfilling day out. Once volunteers commit to set days it allows St. Mary of the Angels staff to arrange events in advance, safe in the knowledge they have extra help.
Since the volunteering campaign started Teagasc has sent 24 farmers on site for a day to do various jobs on campus, Dell Computers also sent a group to carry out repair work in the facility, and even made garden furniture for the residents. Other participants have involved residents in local Tidy Towns, walking groups, trips to Dingle, Fota Wildlife Park, fishing, art exhibitions, football matches and concerts. This is just a sample of the social experiences residents have enjoyed thanks to the help of volunteers. Volunteers are a very valuable and appreciated resource and their support is invaluable.
‘’The volunteers come from across the county which is ideal as it allows St. Mary of the Angels to extend its services to the wider community. Two staff recently visited IT Tralee to talk to students about volunteering but people interested in volunteering can also contact St. Mary of the Angels directly. Moreover, helping residents to enjoy life to its fullest is just as enriching and rewarding for the volunteers. Volunteers are a vital part of the St. Mary of the Angels story,” Helen said.
If you would like more information about volunteering either individually, as a group, or as a service, please contact Helen O’Connor at 087 1338 702.