Doreen resident Judy Buckmaster volunteers for the Home Library service, and is a volunteer program manager for Words on Wheels at Yarra Plenty Regional Library.
I RETIRED from primary school teaching two years ago and I’ve always loved libraries, so I decided to volunteer at the library. I love it.
I have one client for home library services, and I take her 12 to 14 books a month. She’s the most amazing devourer of books. She’s housebound and most of the time she’s bedridden. She’s in her 70s and has a lot of health issues. She’s a very interesting lady and I’ve got to know her and we chat about the world.
For the Words on Wheels program, I go into aged care homes and take kits that we’ve developed. They each cover one topic and contain pictures, songs, little stories – things that might inspire discussion on that topic.
It’s like opening the doors to the world to them. We get them reminiscing. I like the stories that they tell. They welcome anything that’s different from their sometimes boring day-to-day lives.
We actually have lots of volunteers for the Home Library service and need new clients for the volunteers to visit. So if you know someone who could benefit, even if it’s short-term, like someone recovering from surgery, call Carolyn at the library on 9401 0725.