"It's better to wear out that rust out," is Tasmanian Lorraine Walker's maxim, and she proves it every day with a full life of volunteering and community service.
The 75-year-old was recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by Aurora Energy in the 2021 Tasmanian Volunteering Awards, an honour for which she says she was both surprised and grateful.
"I felt privileged I was a finalist among this wonderful group of people and had no thought about winning. The others were all such worthy recipients that I feel slightly overwhelmed," she told The Senior.
Living most of her life in the Huon Valley, Lorraine's was a finalist in the 1985 Retarded Citizens Welfare Association Tasmanian Woman of the Year Quest. She was active in community action to improve the safety of the Huon HIghway and worked for Lifeline Hobart and later for Tasmanian Redline as Southern Operations Manager.
After joining her local Rotary Club, Lorraine became involved in many charitable works both internationally, such as eradicating polio, and locally, including raising funds for the volunteer fire brigade and local schools.
Lorraine is a member of the Rotary Club D'Entrecasteaux Channel, is a Paul Harris Sapphire Fellow and has held a number of key positions. She is also chair of the Tasmanian District of Australian Rotary Health.
Earlier this year, Lorraine was added to the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women for her service to community advocacy and inclusion.
Lorraine is a great advocate for volunteering and would recommend anyone with time on their hands to get out there and do something worthwhile.
"It does your soul good," she said. "You can sit at home and feel sorry for yourself, or you can get out and be doing something with great people. It's very self-satisfying."
Lorraine, who has three sons and five grandchildren, is also a keen bowler at her local Kingborough Club where she was recently elected president.
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