Making a difference

These are the worlds of local woman, Trish Saines, who is just one of many volunteers who will be recognised today as Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s, Young celebrates Mercy Day.

Trish – one of around 15 volunteers at the home – has been a volunteer at Mt St Joseph’s for the past five years during which time she has spent anywhere between 15 to 20 hours a week assisting staff and socialising with residents. 

After working in banking for 30 years Trish decided volunteering was the perfect way to give back to the community, and she hasn’t looked back since.

“I decided I’d come up here to see if they needed any help, which they did and the rest is history,” she said.

“I’m more or less on-call – if they want me, I come up.”

Trish can normally be found at Mt St Joseph’s between Monday and Wednesday when she spends her time doing different activities with residents.

“Today’s bingo,” she said on Wednesday. “But you do different things with them on different days.”

“I take one lady who’s confined to a wheelchair down to the Hub of a Friday, or I’ll take her shopping just to get her out of the home.”

One resident, Leah Cant, said herself and Trish have been known to frequent cafes. 

“It’s the little things you do that make a difference,” Trish said.

“It’s so rewarding to come up here and to help out with them – just to visit them, you don’t have to do anything else, you get a lot out of it.”

“I love it, it’s very rewarding just to see the elderly people’s faces light up.

“If they haven’t seen you and all of a sudden you come back...one fella used to say “here’s my girl”.

“Just little comments like that and the looks on their faces, it’s lovely to sit down and talk to them.

“I wish I had of done this years ago.”

Mercy Day, held annually on September 24, recognises staff and volunteers and celebrates their commitment to making a difference within the community.