A Lismore resident has been recognised for her ten years of volunteering to raise the plight of orangutans and their fight for survival.
When Ms Helen Armstrong first heard of the desperate situation facing orangutans she began giving baby orangutan adoptions as gifts to her grandchildren.
But after a visit to Borneo where she saw just how desperate their plight was, Ms Armstrong knew she had to do more.
She joined the Orangutan Project – an Australian organisation dedicated to orangutan conservation – and held regular fund-raising stalls selling orangutan adoptions and merchandise such as toys and gifts.
The Orangutan Project president Leif Cocks described Ms Armstrong as a devoted and passionate volunteer for orangutan conservation for over ten years.
Her immense contribution during this time has made a significant difference to the lives of many orangutans and other wildlife,’ Mr Cocks said.
‘Volunteering for any cause requires dedication and at times sacrifice as you direct your time and energy to make a difference and Helen has been a fine example of this.
Ms Armstrong is retiring at the end of thee year to take a well-deserved break and to pursue her other interests, including photography and a trip to China.
‘We wish Helen all the best and we are grateful that she will continue to be involved by supporting other volunteers,’ Mr Cocks said.
But with Ms Armstrong retiring, the organisation is hoping that someone local can continue her work.
‘If you can’t volunteer just now, there are a wide variety of other options when it comes to making a contribution to support orangutans,’ Mr Cocks said.
‘You can set up an automatic donation on a regular basis (no amount is considered too small), be part of our orangutan adoption program by sponsoring an orphaned orangutan in need of care (makes a great gift!), become a business partner or join us on one of our exciting adventure tours to visit the orangutans.’
Interested people should contact The Orangutan Project’s National Manager, Therese O’Brien ([email protected]).
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