Maureen Davey has been at the forefront of community life in the Victorian city of Ballarat for more than 50 years, and her service to the blind and low vision community has been recognised by Vision Australia.
Maureen, 70, has been presented with an individual Vision Australia Award for her commitment to the organisation and the blind and low vision community.
The awards, a part of Vision Australia since 2006, honour those who have helped to make a difference through their commitment to Vision Australia’s mission to ensure people who are blind or have low vision can live the life they choose.
Maureen has been both a client and a volunteer with Vision Australia and its predecessor organisation, the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind, for all of the 50 years both organisations have provided services to the blind and low vision community in the regional Victorian city of Ballarat.
Maureen was born legally blind with retinitis pigmentosa and was present on the first day of the RVIB’s recreation program in Ballarat.
Vision Australia celebrated the 50th anniversary of its recreation program in Ballarat in July, with Maureen a guest speaker at the anniversary celebrations.
She received her Vision Australia Award that day, but was recognised at the formal presentation at Vision Australia’s annual general meeting in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Vision Australia CEO Ron Hooton says Maureen is a big part of Vision Australia in Ballarat.
“Maureen was there as a client on the first day and was there as a client on the day we gave her the award. She’s been a volunteer and generally the all-round boss of the centre for 50 years – a real contributor to the organisation,” Mr Hooton said.