Brenda Boyle’s stunning near seven-decade dedication to Calvary Health Care
Brenda has carved out her very own distinctive achievement as a Calvary ‘loyalist’ with an unbelievable 69 years of totally-dedicated service – 44 years as an employee and now 25+ years as a volunteer heritage archivist.
On Tuesday 25 November Brenda, from Howrah, was honoured at Calvary’s Service Celebrations recognising her as a local treasure and one of Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital’s longest ever serving volunteers, in the lead-up to International Day of Volunteers on Friday 5 December.
Calvary Volunteer Services Manager, Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital Carolyn Whamond said that Brenda’s achievement was extraordinary by any measure.
“To have completed 44 years of employment with one organisation is alone outstanding,” Ms Whamond said. “To follow that up with a further 25 years (and ongoing) dedicated services as a volunteer is nothing short of remarkable.
“Few people in this country would be in this league and throughout the time I’ve known Brenda she has been a cornerstone of our volunteer program.”
According to Brenda, she is just giving back what she received.
“Because I started with Calvary as a teenager they have always been there in my life,” said Ms Boyle. “When I got married, in raising my children through all the good times and hard, Calvary is a constant in my life and it feels like home.”
A brief history of Brenda’s time with Calvary reveals she started off as a mothercraft nurse trainee in March 1956, worked in both Wellington and Christchurch in New Zealand for three years starting in 1960, moving back to Hobart to start her family in 1963, then worked at Calvary Adelaide, SA and returned to Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital in 1978, becoming the maternity ward’s first ward clerk.
Further posts included being Secretary of the Calvary Past Nurses Association (and later elected President), as well as Secretary of the Calvary Hospital Auxiliary (and then President).
In 2000 Brenda officially retired from work but she was soon invited to return by Sr Juliana LCM to establish the heritage archive.
For the past 25 years Brenda has led a dedicated team to preserve the history of Calvary and the sisters of the Little Company of Mary in Hobart. And in doing so, has definitely earned her own place in history too.
“The devotion shown by Brenda in her service to Calvary is reminiscent of that shown by the Sisters as they made their way to Australia and established the Little Company of Mary 140 years ago,” said Ms Whamond.
