For Brisbane’s Lenehan family, supporting Vision Australia is a family affair.
Debbie and Ashley Lenehan and their son Marcus, along with their Seeing Eye Dog ambassador dog Hinemoa, are long-time supporters of Vision Australia through the Friends of Vision Australia at Coorparoo group.
Their dedication to Vision Australia has been honoured this year with a Vision Australia Award.
The awards, first established in 2006, honour those who help to make a substantial difference through their commitment to Vision Australia’s mission to ensure people who are blind or have low vision can live the life they choose.
Debbie has low vision and volunteers in Vision Australia’s peer support and Telelink programs, and the Quality Living Group.
Under the peer program, she is instrumental in offering support and guidance to people who are blind or have low vision across a range of issues.
Telelink is a telephone conferencing service that links people who are blind or have low vision who share like interests.
They are placed in teleconferences with a facilitator and up to 10 members to discuss their topic of choice, with groups covering everything from cooking to sport and crossword puzzles to quiz groups and history to youth interests.
The Quality Living Group facilitates client support groups that help people to adjust to life following vision loss.
She also participates in staff inductions at Coorparoo.
Hinemoa, Debbie, Ashley and Marcus are a regular feature at shopping centres and public events raising funds for Vision Australia.
Presenting the award to the Lenehans in Brisbane during Vision Australia’s annual general meeting, beamed around Australia from Sydney, General Manager Advocacy and Engagement Karen Knight said the family is much loved in Cooparoo and throughout Vision Australia in Queensland.
“They have been a big part of our Vision Australia family for a long time now, particularly with our Friends of Vision Australia group. They raise money for us, they go to shopping centres and train stations at all hours of the morning and sell merchandise,” Karen said.
“But Deb has been much more than that. She’s part of our Quality Living Groups, Telelink and our peer support groups, always there lending a helping hand to people who might be struggling with the adjustment to blindness or low vision. Ash has been a volunteer with us for a long time, as a driver, going out to people’s homes, helping them set up their technology.”
Debbie said she was thrilled the family has received the award.
“We enjoy doing what we do to raise money for Vision Australia and Seeing Eye Dogs, and as Karen said we are involved in many different ways. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”