By XAVIER SMERDON
ONE of Wyndham’s hardest working and least assuming volunteers has been rewarded for her life of giving.
Cherie-Lee Sulzbuerger-Nilsson is the inaugural winner of the Star Volunteer of the Year Award.
Sherry, as she is known to most people, has been volunteering since she was 12-years-old and now spends every day of the week helping others.
For the past 14 months she has dedicated most of her time to help out at Werribee Support and Housing.
Along with her title as the Star Volunteer of the Year Sherry will be rewarded with $1000 thanks to the Werribee Automotive Group.
“I can’t get used to it. It still feels like a miracle,” Sherry said.
“Just being in the paper the first time was one of the best things that had ever happened to me and now to win is amazing. Is the word surreal?”
True to form Sherry has decided to use the money to continue helping others.
Currently living on a disability pension, it takes Sherry 50 minutes to walk to Werribee Support and Housing and an hour to walk home every day.
She spent all of last year saving whatever money she could to buy her first car and was able to scrape together $250.
“All I did last year was save up to buy a car so I was putting aside $5 or $10 a fortnight,” she said.
“Something that I thought was going to be years away has suddenly raced up.
“If I can buy a car that will give me two more hours a day that I can be helping people.
“This will not just change my life but others too.”
Volunteer coordinator at Werribee Support and Housing, Grant Potter, said the organisation would be lost without Sherry.
