Taronga National Volunteer Week Awards recognise the achievements of our volunteers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their commitment to our organisational vision and values.   

Inkeeping  with the 2011 National Volunteer Week theme: “Inspiring the Volunteer in You”, and Taronga’s organisational values BASIC, the theme for Taronga’s National Volunteer Week Awards for 2011 was “We're BASICallly inspired by the Volunteer in You!”

 

Category: Be supportive and enthusiastic

This award acknowledges volunteers who go above and beyond to support our people and show outstanding enthusiasm in the execution of their role.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo 

Winner - Janne Doyle

Janne has always carried out her role as an EMW guide with enthusiasm, and has participated in training new guides regularly for five years.

Janne has had several terms on the Volunteer Committee, where she has worked tirelessly at every role give to her.  No job is too small, or too large.  Positions filled included one term as Chairman, Librarian, Behavioural Enrichment co-ordinator, minutes secretary, Social Committee and Education Committee liaison, and Education Mentor.  Janne has also participated in Water Testing, First Aid, and Animal Watches.

Janne’s work is appreciated and supported by all of her volunteer colleagues.  Her advice is widely sort, and provided constructively.

 

 

Highly Commended - Lesley Abrahams 

Over  the last 12 months Lesley has been very supportive an enthusiastic of our Organisation.  Lesley is involved in everything.  Where she find the time we don’t know.  At present Lesley is the Chairperson of both our Volunteer committee and our Education Committee and through these roles she has enabled over 40 new volunteers to commence their training program.  Combine this with everyday volunteers duties such as EMW, Water Testing, Library, Meet n Greet, Mentoring and Giraffe In Focus makes Lesley a very supportive and enthusiastic volunteer.  Thank you Lesley.

 

 

 

Category: Accept and take responsibility

This award recognises volunteers who go out of their way to accept and take responsibility which results in excellent customer service for our visitors and builds positive, strong relationships between our people.

Mary Davis - Winner 

 

Mary gives a lot of her time to the Zoo most recently with the animal Nursery role.  Mary is reliable and takes a real interest in the animals she prepares food for.  Mary accepts and take responsibility in providing additional assistance in other activities whilst she is at the Zoo for example Mary helps out with Giraffe in Focus.  Mary also provides valuable assistance with the tours and booking coordination.  

 

 

David Buttrey - Highly Commended

David is a long serving Volunteer here at TWPZ, David always accepts and takes responsibility.  However he has demonstrated this best over the past few months with the many changes that we have had in relation to our new Plaza and entrance.  David has served as the person who has communicated the volunteers thoughts back through to management and vice versa.  David has used in inherent knowledge of the zoo to assist management in implementing a traffic management plan.  He has then communicated and instructed other volunteers on how to use the plan in order to achieve goals.  Thank you David.

 

Category: Show dignity and respect

This award pays tribute to volunteers who are committed to being honest, accountable, and transparent and who treat each person as they expect to be treated.

Giraffe in Focus Voluneers - Winner/s

This award goe

s to the entire group of volunteers that assist with Giraffe in Focus.  This group assist in our daily animal encounter – they do a fantastic job of controlling the excited visitors who all want to feed the Giraffe (at the same time) to ensure that every guest feels like they are an individual

They showed dignity and respect to the keeper in charge and to the public. On occasion we do get public that are a bit disgruntled if they can’t get a ticket which these volly’s handled extremely well and dealt with this matter in a ‘matter that wouldn’t cause too much fuss.

 

 

Patsy Forrester - Highly Commended

Patsy is another of our long serving volunteers and participates in First Aid, EMW and Giraffe In Focus to name a few.  Patsy is always respectful to staff, fellow volunteers and visitors.  Patsy is held in high regard by all she has come in contact over her time here.

Category: Innovate and take initiative

This award highlights volunteers who stand out from the crowd because of their willingness to use their initiative or embrace changes that will lead to the realisation of our Vision.

Gemma Bauld - Winner

Gemma is always one of the first to lend her hand to projects and activities and does not baulk at a challenge or a new way to contribute to the organisation.

Others in the organisation can likely add to the list of projects and duties she has undertaken as I am conscious that she also does volunteering for Divisions other than marketing. However, as far as the TWPZ PR & Promotions Department is concerned, Gemma had directly helped me on two occasions – once to voiceover a radio ad and the second time to man a stand at the local markets on the weekend and assist with collecting donations and present information to the local community concerning our Mates Rates program. Despite being quite removed from Keeper Duties in their nature, Gemma undertook both tasks with gusto, even taking initiative to educate other stallholders about the Zoo’s education and situ programs during quieter periods on the stand.

Flexible, reliable, cheerful, punctual and always available to help, Gemma’s conduct is utterly indistinguishable from a paid employee and is in my opinion an exemplary volunteer with whom we are lucky to work at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Bob Coverdale - Highly Commended

Bob has been a volunteer since 2000. Bob conducts early morning walks, mentors new volunteers, provides tours for student groups, and volunteers in the reproductive laboratory. Bob is dedicated to providing visitors with accurate information and interesting facts about our collection animals, which portray conservation messages. Bob has been a great help in the reproductive laboratory by doing dishes, filling supplies, and labelling tubes among many other things. He has also been involved in collecting and analysing monthly water samples from the various waterways on-site as a part of a long-term Waterwatch program. He is a delight to work with and is more than happy to help out in any way he can. He is always looking for creative ideas to improve current volunteer information sheets and activities and is committed to enhancing the visitor experience.

 

Category: Clear and simple 

This award celebrates those volunteers that are committed to finding effective, creative, clear and simple ways of carrying out their role.

David Buttrey – Winner 

David has been a volunteer for over 15 years, the last 5 years on the Volunteer Committee.  He has carried out all his roles with no fuss and plenty of energy, and we especially appreciate his work moving our operational position up to the Ibis (now Giraffe) Room in 2009, and then back again in 2011, to the Resources Building and the Zoo Friends Centre.

David has participated as an EMW guide, and also prepares and attends the First Aid roster.  David assists with organising our parking procedures and has taken on a number of other operational roles.

The TWPZ Volunteers are impressed with and are appreciative of all David’s efforts on the volunteers’ behalf.

 

 

 

Sue Ryan - Highly Commended

 

Sue Ryan is a Volunteer and Trainee Volunteer Mentor at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Sue Ryan is a living breathing example of “Clear and Simple”.

 Sue consistently makes people from all walks of life feels at ease, with her friendly, gentle approach to everything. Nothing is ever too much bother for this patient practical person who really does treat people as she would like to be treated.

Sue has a smile for everyone