Jenny Tunks is a Ballina Unsung Hero
Ballina resident Jennifer Tunks (pictured in the white cap) has been named as one of the 2009 IGA Community Chest Unsung Heroes Awards regional winners.
IGA’s Community Chest Unsung Heroes Awards aims to recognise and reward individuals who go the extra mile to assist their local organisation, volunteer time to a charity or achieve extraordinary success despite life’s hurdles.
Jenny Tunks has been fundraising for Cystic Fibrosis NSW for more than 30 years, helping raise much-needed funds that are used for medical research and to support sufferers and their families.
Amongst other raffles, Jenny co-ordinates a guitar raffle the East Coast Blues & Roots Festival each year. This is a five-day event that operates over Easter, and to date Jenny has raised $150,000 from this raffle alone.
Jenny is always coming up with new ways to raise money, and is currently working on creating a ’65 Roses Patchwork Quilt’ which will be auctioned off for the charity.
She has a 31-year-old son who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, and plans to continue her charity work until a cure is found. Her selfless contribution over so many years makes Jenny a true ‘Unsung Hero’.
Jenny will be awarded with $250 worth of IGA vouchers and a $250 cash donation will also be given to Cystic Fibrosis NSW, Jenny’s nominated charity/not-for-profit organisation.
Regional winners are now in the running to take out the State prize, which is decided by an online public vote. The State winner’s chosen charity or not-for-profit organisation will then be awarded a further $5000 donation.
The 2009 IGA Community Chest Unsung Awards project gave local residents the chance to reward the ‘Unsung Heroes’ living in their neighbourhoods through an online nomination process.
Get behind Jenny simply by logging onto www.iga.com.au before Friday 28 August and voting!
You can also show your support for Jenny by logging onto Facebook and joining the 2009 IGA Community Chest Unsung Heroes Awards’ Group.
Jenny Tunks is classified as a Queensland award winner as all regional winners were selected in accordance with IGA’s own ‘village network’ – the local business units which work together to meet the needs of their local customers.
