Nearly everyone lives at Ashburn House in Gladesville has seen Maree – although they may not recognise her.
Maree began volunteering at our Gladesville Home when her Dad moved in, and now is a regular at concerts and other special events that are held throughout the year.
She loves dressing up as a “Fairy Godmother” and bring joy to residents and staff – and she can’t help herself from dancing at every opportunity.
“I became a volunteer at Ashburn House as a result of the love I have for my Dad. My first priority was to care and support him in his new home and let him know he was not alone and that his life still had meaning,” she said.
“My Dad and I spoke about it and we said we would do our best to bring more joy and contribute in a positive way to the residents in his new home.”
They get involved with activities including singing, talking, interacting and sometimes being silly and laughing together.
“Life can be full of wonder and joy even though there are daily challenges to experience that comes with aged care,” she said.
“I love to bring magic into everyday life, sometimes expressing myself as ‘the Fairy Godmother’, which is symbolic of the magic and wonder of life.”
Maree also volunteers at the Children’s Hospital, “bringing that gift of wonder to the children”.
“From my experience, it’s important that people know they are loved and cared for even if that’s just a smile, a kind word, a touch, a hug, a joke or simply the blessings of the Fairy Godmother bringing meaning to their daily lives,” she said.
