A door has closed on a significant chapter of Noreen Boehm’s life after stepping down from her position as manager at Boggabri Home and Community Care.
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Noreen’s care for her charges extended way beyond the call of duty as she organised bus trips to many tourist attractions and the very popular musicals in Singleton.
She started out on January 6, 1997, working 10 hours per week to incorporate the current Meals on Wheels (MOW) service into a Home and Community Care (HACC) Multi-Service Outlet pilot program.
“The initial service provided for Meals on Wheels, respite care and community transport,” Noreen said.
“With the help of many volunteers, we soon had the service up and running – we received a provisional grant of $16,560 to last 12 months, however, if the project proved a success, recurrent funding was expected from HACC growth funds.”
Three years later, Noreen filled a casual vacancy on the NSW Meals on Wheels Association Board of Governors and the same year she graduated with a nationally accredited certificate in community service/aged care work.
Noreen’s interest in the state level of MOW was fired by a need to have the best service a small town could offer and she constantly returned with new and innovative ideas.
“In November 1997, we organised the first community access bus to Gunnedah, which proved very popular,” Noreen said.
“By May 1998 we had four drivers for community transport and provided a home visiting service, where a volunteer would pop in and have a chat or a game of cards and be a friendly face to people who otherwise may not have regular visitors.”
Reflecting on the expansion of the Meals on Wheels service, Noreen recalled that by August 1998, volunteers were delivering 10-14 meals per day and community transport trips had increased to 60.
“Our group of volunteers received a Certificate of Recognition in the National Community Link Awards 1998, recognising the value of volunteering within the community,” Noreen said.
“The award program was developed by National Australia Bank and the nomination was supported by the Boggabri Rotary president who praised the work of the group.”
The co-ordinator and volunteers finally had “wheels” in 1999 when the Ageing and Disability Department contributed $13,000 for the purchase of a vehicle.
“The Boggabri Rotaryannes also made a donation for a wheelchair for use by the service and the cotton industry donated $2000, which made it possible to purchase a state-of-the-art wheelchair,” Noreen said.
“In typical Boggabri generosity, the Boggabri Golf Ladies donated a Carry Hot container for Meals on Wheels delivery and after negotiations with Boggabri Health Service in June 2000, a choice of hot meals was offered for the first time to Meals on Wheels recipients.”
The following year, a take-away meal service was introduced for MOW clients on Sundays as a change from the normal meals delivered during the week and Saturday.
“Many clients had not had a take-away meal for years and didn’t realise the variety of food available,” Noreen said.
“Not only did it add variety but added social support as well.
“In April 2001, we organised a bus trip to Katoomba – the first of many wonderful trips for our senior citizens.”
As the new century rolled around, Noreen was appointed a Justice of the Peace to assist clients with legal documents and she also worked with the NSW Fire Brigades to set up the SABRE (Smoke Alarm Battery Replacement for the Elderly) – the first in the New England/North-west region to do so.
“The International Year of the Volunteer was a wonderful occasion when our oldest volunteer Nell Maunder – who was 94 – and our youngest, Lucy Bates, aged 13, took part in a celebration of a dinner and movie in Gunnedah,” Noreen said.
In October 2001, Noreen was nominated as one of three state delegates for the NSW MOW Association Board of Governors.
At the annual general meeting in October that year, Noreen presented a 30-minute workshop entitled “The One-Stop HACC shop” showcasing Boggabri. She also received a leadership award for “outstanding leadership in service development” and moved into the role of NSW vice-president.
Always looking for new ways to stimulate and entertain Boggabri’s treasured elderly residents, Noreen obtained her Laughter Leaders Certificate.
It was a great day for Boggabri HACC when a second car was purchased and the 40th anniversary of Boggabri MOW was celebrated, with Noreen’s son-in-law making a special video.
After raising a family in Boggabri, Noreen knew the value of promoting the town and different organisations so she put her hand up to contribute to the weekly Boggabri Community News on Radio 2MO.
In October 2003, she was nominated in the NSW Retravision Regional Achievers Awards, Department of Lands, Community of the Year Awards and was delighted to see the the innovative SABRE program, involving NSW Fire Brigade, Woolworths and Boggabri Lions Club, recognised in the 2005 Working in Partnership category.
“The generous donation of $10,000 from Idemitsu and a further $5000 from the Wicking Family Trust in Victoria, meant that we were able to purchase a wheelchair bus for Boggabri,” Noreen said.
“Thanks to volunteer Barbara Varcoe who had seen the rails on the New Inventors we were able to have safety rails fitted to the Boggabri HACC bus in 2010,” Noreen said.
“In 2013 we negotiated a $200,000 donation from Boggabri Coal for purchase of the building.”
In November 2009, Noreen was appointed to the initial Project Steering Committee in developing a Narrabri Shire Social/Community Plan for the LGA.
Her work for the town was recognised with the Boggabri Rotary and Business Promotions Community Services Award, and the Australian Government, Minister’s Award for Excellence in Aged Care – Leadership and Achievement Community Care services, for “her extraordinary commitment and capacity to achieve quality care outcomes”.
Noreen said she had enjoyed her work at both local and state level, where she had served on the Board of Governors for NSW Meals on Wheels Association – holding the position of President for seven terms, vice-president for three terms and secretary and treasurer for one term each.
She was president in 2006 when the Bush Tucker receipts were launched statewide and was nominated as the NSW Meals on Wheels Association representative on the Australian Board of Meals on Wheels in 2012-13.
Noreen’s service also extended to six years as chairperson of the NSW Meals on Wheels Association Company.
Although her work at state level has taken her away from home on many occasions, Noreen said some of her happiest memories were made over an 18-year period when she organised the Senior’s Week mystery bus trips and held information sessions for clients and community members.
“There was always great excitement leading up to the mystery bus trip with people trying to guess where we were going,” Noreen said.
“Some of the places were visited were Lake Keepit and the Honey Meadery at Manilla, Christmas lights in Boggabri and Gunnedah and a three-day trip to Katoomba.
“We also joined 1000 other enthusiastic seniors at the Sydney Musical and Songfest in 2001, and had a three-day trip to Canberra with Quirindi HACC.”
The HACC also supported functions in nearby towns.
Looking back, Noreen said she is sad to be leaving the service but is planning to spend more time with her family and grandchildren and may well “walk through another open door” if the opportunity arises.