Helen Smith has been honoured as our Senior Citizen of the Year for her tireless work to help others through St Vincent de Paul.
Helen is the president of our local Vinnies conference and at the heart of the vital work it does to support so many in need in our community.
Most of us are familiar with the Vinnies op shop and the volunteers who work there, but it's only part of the picture of what this organisation does.
For Helen, Vinnies is an opportunity to be part of a caring community.
Christmas was a busy time, preparing some 133 hampers for local families, and working with the Salvation Army to ensure children received gifts.
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But the need is real all year round, Helen says, and Vinnies is seeing the need with rising grocery and housing costs taking their toll.
Vinnies puts you in a place where you can help and connect people to support.
Helen, who was a teacher, first joined St Vincent de Paul in 1996 and her involvement has grown from there to what is a very busy role today.
"There are many aspects to Vinnies and there are so many people in need," she said.
"Sometimes they're in need of a visitor, sometimes they're in need of food.
"There are many people in need of homes - it may not be obvious to a lot of people.
"Vinnies provides an opportunity to be part of a caring community."
One of the joys in Helen's role is raising up the next generation with Mini Vinnies in schools across the vast Wilcannia-Forbes diocese, with a wonderful group at Red Bend Catholic College and even in smaller schools including Trundle and Peak Hill.
Caring students and in-school coordinators are doing so much to support the work of Vinnies.
Vinnies volunteers also work closely with many other organisations in town including CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes and Havannah House as well as the Salvos, then organisations like Lions following the flood disaster just to name a few.
Helen is also happy to hear from other organisations who would like to work together.
Of course, if you have time to give, Helen can recommend Vinnies as a wonderful place.
"It's based on Catholic and Christian values but any person of any belief who shares those values can belong to it," she said.
Just come to the Vinnies store in Rankin Street - there's a phone number on the door if it's outside hours or drop in and see the volunteers.
"It's a community, Vinnies," Helen said.
"All people who are interested are welcome to come and join up."
You can be involved in the shop, as a visitor, or working with the other agencies in town.
"There are so many agencies, so many people who care," Helen said.
"That's why I'm in Vinnies.
"You do gain: you gain friends, you gain community."
Helen also gives her time through the Catholic church - as a Holy Communion minister she takes communion and spends time with those who can no longer come to church themselves.
This too she sees as a privilege to keep people who have served the church and community over many years connected.
Accepting our Senior Citizen of the Year honour in a packed Town Hall on Saturday night, Helen said the experience was very humbling.
"I receive this not only for myself, but for my friends at Vinnies, who work so hard for the community," she said.
"And for the other organisations that are represented here and represented in town.
"There are so many passionate about our community and caring for people, we need to work together to keep it the great community it is."
