If you’ve ever admired the handmade quilts in our Gift Shop or stopped to chat with one of our warm-hearted volunteers, chances are you’ve already met Ruth.
Now in her 80s, Ruth is one of our longest-serving volunteers, generously giving her time, kindness, and creative talents for more than 15 years. But her story of care and compassion began long before she ever stepped foot in Mornington.
Ruth’s nursing journey began when she was just 18 years old. After qualifying as a mothercraft nurse in the 1960s, she worked at Ngala in Perth – a well-known service that supported unmarried mothers and their babies, who were often adopted out. She also helped care for children with Down syndrome and those affected by the thalidomide tragedy.
Ruth recalls the heartache and hope of those early days – looking after vulnerable little ones until they were three years old before they were sent to a children’s home. Back then, she and her colleagues were encouraged to take the babies home to give them the warmth of a real family environment, something that Ruth says wouldn’t happen today.
She then worked as a private nurse before embarking on a working holiday to Melbourne. What began as a short-term adventure became a new chapter: she met her husband, started a family, and eventually left nursing to work as a systems operator at Safeway, where she stayed until retirement.
When she retired in 2001, Ruth’s caring spirit had not faded. Inspired by a close friend, she began volunteering in aged care and later at The Bays after moving to Mornington. Since 2007, she’s been a constant presence, quietly offering her support behind the scenes as a volunteer Patient Liaison Officer, while also brightening lives with her beautiful handmade quilts – many of which she donates to our Gift Shop, where they raise vital funds.
We are deeply grateful for Ruth’s 15 years of dedicated service, and for the love and warmth she stitches into every quilt.