“Thank You Barb!”

For the past 12 years, Barb Sibly has quietly gone about her volunteering role for Lifeline Gippsland’s plant nursery propagating plants, collecting donated flora and gardening paraphernalia and rising at the crack of dawn to set up for Lifeline Gippsland’s monthly plant stall  at Traralgon’s REH Craft Market. Barb’s green thumbs are also behind the very successful bi-annual Plant Sales held at the Morwell Warehouse and she has kept the Organisation’s op shops across Gippsland well-stocked.

Barb, her supportive family and other dedicated volunteers, has been one of the engines that has kept the wheels turning. An enormous amount of effort always went in to preparing for each plant market that has often left many wondering how Barb brought it all together.

Barb began helping out with the supply of plants for Lifeline Gippsland’s first-ever Plant Sale in Churchill back in 2005.  The success of that sale fostered annual Plant Markets in Churchill until some years later when operations moved to the current location in Fleming Street Morwell.

Barb’s collective efforts went a long way towards supporting the mission to reduce incidents of suicide in Gippsland and though Barb hung up her gardening gloves a few weeks ago, we wanted to collectively acknowledge her efforts with a morning tea and presentation attended by the Board Chair Laurie Paton, LLG staff and numerous volunteers.

David Rohde, acting CEO of Lifeline Gippsland said ‘there is something very special about a volunteer who has put in so much effort and dedication to an Organisation. Barb’s fund-raising activities have helped us raise much needed funds to support our 24-hour Telephone Crisis Support Service 13 11 14, and to assist with running other vital programs that help our Gippsland community each year”.

He went on to say that Barb’s support and contribution would be truly missed.