Shining humanitarian recognised

FROM rattling collection tins on street corners to spearheading a push for the reinstatement of a blood collection service in Mount Gambier, Libby Furner has long been the local face of the Australian Red Cross.

Ms Furner’s decades of service has been recognised on a national level with a Queen’s Birthday Order of Australia Medal (OAM).

Humbled and surprised by her accolade, Ms Furner said she was honoured to have her name appear on the prestigious list.

The humanitarian is also recognised for her dedication to the Rotary movement.

Speaking to The Border Watch ahead of yesterday’s announcement, she said was stunned to receive the letter in the mail notifying her of her award.

“I am very humbled by the award because I am only one of many, many people who do just as much for the community – I just like doing things for other people,” Ms Furner said.

“I am also grateful because it also highlights the organisations that I am passionate about, particularly Red Cross and Rotary.”

She revealed Rotary’s “Shelter Box” program and delivering dictionaries to primary school children in the region were among her favourite initiatives.

Explaining her mother was in Red Cross, Ms Furner said she believed in a deep philosophy of helping the community.

Asked about her proudest project or achievement, Ms Furner quickly highlighted the community grassroots campaign pushing for the reinstatement of the Red Cross blood collection in Mount Gambier.

“Deb Paschke and I, along with the Earl family, drove this campaign,” according to the dedicated volunteer.

“I was just so incensed it had been taken away, but we were being asked on a regular basis through the radio to give blood.”

At that time, the Red Cross argued it was too far to travel to collect blood.

She said there were previously 3000 blood donors in the region before the collection service was scrapped.

“There was a break of roughly 12 years – Deb and I kept thinking ‘we have got to do something’,” Ms Furner said.

“We finally got the blood collection service reinstated, which was wonderful given technology now allows plasma to be collected here.”

Another milestone moment was the 2007 “Boys Day Out” function at The Barn, which raised a profit of $28,000.

“We bought a car for the Red Cross Transport Service with that money,” Ms Furner added.

While conceding fundraising events were often “a lot of work”, she said the money benefited people and improved lives.

“It is terrific that Mount Gambier is such a generous community and supports fundraising events,” Ms Furner said.

“Red Cross is only one of a number of groups that are seeking donations and I think businesses here are so wonderful in giving their support.”

Another stand-out fundraiser was “tin rattling” for the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, which raised a staggering $30,000.

“The Red Cross has done a lot for our community, which means when we are looking for money for things like that, people do not hesitate.”

The Red Cross provides a critical transport service in Mount Gambier, which helps people attend medical appointments as well as fostering social inclusion.

Volunteers also call isolated people daily to see if they are okay, stepping up activity during heat waves.

Ms Furner’s long list of volunteering includes being a former national councillor with the Red Cross, along with a member of various committees and roles with the world-wide humanitarian organisation.

The dedicated volunteer has also been zone coordinator for the Lower South East and an honorary life member since 2015.