By Hayley Manning

DELORAINE’S OWN Mrs Lexie

Eileen Young was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for service to the community on Australia Day. Lexie’s award acknowledges the 9000 hours of volunteer service she has given to countless organisations throughout the Meander Valley. ‘My parents and grandparents were always involved in community events and volunteer work – it just follows on from one generation to the next. Making things work. That’s the main thing isn’t it? You always went the extra mile to help people. You baked a spare cake in case you ran out.’ Lexie has lived in the one house in Deloraine for all of her married life, which would have been 60 years in March. ‘It was just gravel roads and the milk was delivered by a horse and cart!’

Volunteer life began with fundraising events through her local church. ‘We used to have street stalls with cakes and knitted items and we would sell about 50 hand-sewn aprons at the church fair.’ A life-long association with Deloraine Red Cross (President since 2009) began after Lexie witnessed her sister Hazel’s reliance on blood transfusions during the final few months of her life in 1976.

Her daughter’s breast cancer diagnosis saw the former ‘fastest knitter in Australia’ knitting to help raise funds for the Holman Cancer Clinic. She witnessed first-hand how helpful they were. ‘The Clinic would take wigs to the patient’s home, where invited friends would give an opinion.’ ‘I am thanking the people who helped me – who always worked with me. It has been, and continues to be fun. Lots of hard work but we always came up trumps and we have helped so many families, either financially or with practical items, who had difficult times. Over the years hands on stuff got done!’