HANNA SLOAN
FNQ Volunteers is primed to host the FNQ Volunteer of the Year Awards on Friday, 24 May, 2024.
The event is the organisation’s first of its kind since 2021 due to budgetary constraints and the highly anticipated cocktail-style evening is set to be one of food, drinks, music, and an award ceremony honouring the region’s outstanding volunteers.
Cairns and the Far North’s not-for-profit organisations have nominated selfless individuals who donate their time and talents to making a difference in their communities.
There are 43 nominees across seven categories with winners to be honoured at a gathering of 150 attendees at the Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort.
FNQ Volunteers Program Coordinator Melissa Schulz said that the nominations and judging process have taken place, so now all that’s left to do is acknowledge and celebrate the people who have gone above and beyond in their philanthropic endeavours – and encourage others to join them.
“We want to get the message out to the community that we have a really great volunteering scene,” she said.
“We would love to get more people involved in volunteering because numbers are down since Covid.
A part of this event is to educate and inspire the broader community about the work that volunteers do, about how essential they are to our community, and their work in every sector
FNQ Volunteers Program Coordinator Melissa Schulz
According to Ms Schulz, many organisations simply wouldn’t function without volunteers.
“We want to thank those exceptional volunteers through these awards, let them know how essential they are, and spread the message that there are opportunities for everyone to get involved.”
The FNQ Volunteer of the Year Awards 2024 fall during National Volunteer Week, 20-26 May. This year’s theme of National Volunteer Week is “Something for Everyone.”
FNQ Volunteers is embracing this theme as their awards night aims to boost volunteering numbers in the region.
As a volunteer resource hub, FNQ Volunteers connects partnering organisations with volunteers from all backgrounds, filling unskilled to highly skilled positions, with time commitments spanning from one hour per fortnight to fifteen hours per week.
FNQ Volunteers service from the Cassowary Coast up to Mossman and the Atherton Tablelands, partnering with over 100 not-for-profit organisations, some of which are entirely volunteer-run and staffed.
“These not-for-profits can register with us for free and list the volunteer roles they have available and get those openings advertised,” Ms Schulz said.
“We currently have around 170 volunteering opportunities available, and we interview prospective volunteers and refer them to the organisations and roles they are suited to.”
According to Ms Schulz, a lack of funding in the volunteering sector has been a significant issue over the last few years, and so the aim of the FNQ Volunteer of the Year Awards is to raise awareness of the industry and encourage interested parties to get involved.
The FNQ Volunteers Awards evening promises to be a memorable occasion, filled with heartfelt tributes, inspiring stories, and a renewed sense of community spirit.
Ms Schulz extended her thanks on behalf of FNQ Volunteers to the sponsors of the FNQ Volunteer of the Year Awards 2024, including major sponsors Cairns Regional Council, Cairns Business Women’s Club, and Wishing Well Care.
Tickets to the FNQ Volunteer of the Year Awards are available via Humanitix.
The evening will be emceed by ABC Radio’s Charlie McKillop, with music by Jeremiah Johnson.
Keep up with the latest news in Cairns and the Far North, and check out some of our top stories this week: Tully Mill workers to take industrial action and Improved cancer care in Innisfail.
