Judy Ford is a passionate and young-at-heart volunteer driver for Be. At the age of 78 Judy continues to prove that volunteering is for everybody as she continues to be a highly valued volunteer for our Bundaberg team. 

Whilst Judy has been volunteering for Be for over three years now, she has a long history of giving back to the community. Judy was a high-school science teacher for 34 years in Canberra and when she retired she became a volunteer at a local community organisation before making a sea change move to Bargara, outside Bundaberg.  

Judy was no stranger to Be before becoming a volunteer as she actually receives domestic assistance once a fortnight and it was her friend from Be who encouraged her to come along to a social event. “That’s when I realised I could put my skills to use and offered my services as a volunteer driver to take clients to social events, shopping and appointments,” said Judy.  

Like many volunteers (and clients), Judy’s favourite thing about volunteering for Be is the people. “I really enjoy meeting people. I get to meet so many people and our clients have had such interesting lives so I find that we always have something to talk about,” she said. 

Plenty of additional evidence shows that volunteering creates enormous benefits for you, your family and your community [1]. The benefits of volunteering include:

• Connecting with others from diverse backgrounds
• Volunteering is good for your mind
• Volunteering offers an opportunity to stay physically fit
• Volunteering is good for the spirit

Jodie Beck is the Community Coordinator for Bundaberg and said Judy is a highly valued member of the team. “Judy gives her time so freely to enrich the lives of our clients day in and day out.  We thank Judy for all her continued efforts to achieve what we do within Bundaberg.  Her efforts never go unnoticed and we appreciate all she does with heartfelt thanks,” continued Jodie.  

“I might be 78 years old but I like to stay fit and healthy so I can continue to volunteer as long as possible,” shared Judy. Judy also shared her love of water aerobics, going to the gym, walking and swimming. She said “you’ve got to keep your body fit and healthy just as much as you need to keep your brain active. And for me that’s through volunteering and community activities.” 

From the team at Be we say a big thank you to Judy for her volunteering service. Happy National Volunteer Week! 

Volunteer with Be

Do you want to feel good and make a difference in your community? We are currently on the lookout for volunteers to help with our care and social services. Volunteering is flexible and starting is easy. Get in touch with us on 1300 785 227 or learn more about volunteering with Be.

References:
[1] The Value of Volunteering