Cherie-Lee “Sherry” Sulzberger-Nilsson gives everything she has to make Wyndham a better place. 89381 Picture: DAMJAN JAEVSKI
By XAVIER SMERDON
FOR more than 30 years one of Werribee’s proudest residents cannot remember a day she has not spent her time volunteering for her community.
Cherie-Lee Sulzberger-Nilsson, known simply as Sherry, has been volunteering since she was just 12-years-old.
She now spends up to 60 hours a week tirelessly trying to make Wyndham a better place.
“I love waking up and feeling that excitement of not knowing who I’m going to make happy that day,” Sherry said.
“I love putting a smile on their dial and then hopefully they can pick themselves up and move forward and maybe help someone else.”
Sherry volunteers with Uniting Care Werribee Support and Housing, where she helps with emergency relief for clients and helps run playgroups.
She is also part of Wyndham Council’s dog walking program, where she assists people who are not physically able to take their dog for a walk.
She even spends a large portion of her disability pension on shaving razors so that unemployed people that have job interviews can improve their chances of getting a second chance.
Her real passion however is running a gardening group that visits elderly and disabled resident’s houses and helps them maintain and beautify their gardens.
“Being in a nice garden in being in the fresh air is very therapeutic for people,” she said.
“It gives you time to decide what your priorities are.”
For many years Sherry did voluntary gardening by herself but just over two weeks ago she decided to form a group of gardeners to help spread her goal of giving everybody the chance to have a beautiful garden.
Sherry said she loved the opportunity to make Wyndham a happier and friendlier place.
“I love Werribee. This is where I want to be,” she said.
A mother of two children with mental and physical disabilities, and a grandmother of two children, one with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and another with autism, Sherry has also overcome her own hurdles.
She suffers from ADHD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, dyslexia and depression.
In her 20s she returned to school to learn how to read and speak properly and has constantly tried to improve her own abilities so she can better serve others.
“When I started they said I had the speaking ability of someone aged nine years and nine-months-old and after six months I had improved to the 30 year mark,” she said.
Sherry said her greatest reward was seeing someone improve their situation and help someone else in need.
“I believe it’s karma and it might not always come back to you financially but it will come back in other ways,” she said.
“It comes back in love. It’s really hard to explain but it’s little things that happen, great things.
“It’s like a yawn. It can have a snowball effect and people can help someone else.”
Ms Sulzberger-Nilsson is the first nominee for the Star Volunteer of the Year Award.
Each week a different volunteer will be profiled and a winner of the inaugural award will be announced 8 January next year.
Do you know a volunteer? Please send details to star@starnewsgroup.com.au
