ONE of Holy Cross Laundry’s long-serving employees Maree Flanagan was among those honoured at an awards presentation at the Brisbane laundry on the International Day of People with a Disability.
Ms Flanagan, who has worked at the laundry in Wooloowin for 25 years and eight months, was the longest-serving employee among the 15 staff members who received awards on December 3.
She cut a celebratory cake on behalf of the staff.
The laundry was established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1889 to help disadvantaged people in the community.
General manager Bob Campbell said that today it processed 115,000kg of laundry per week providing a valuable service to a number of the major private hospitals from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.
The laundry provides training and employment for a workforce of 200.
About 200 people attended the awards ceremony.
Awards were presented to 10 employees who have been at laundry for more than 20 years and 10 volunteers who have helped at Mercy Disability Services for more than five years. Community Partners Awards to the Mater Hospital and the Sisters of Mercy Brisbane congregational leadership team for 2004-08.
Sr Mary Sellen, who has worked at the laundry and Mercy Disability Services for more than 40 years, also received an award.
Mr Campbell said the commitment of the Sisters of Mercy and the congregational leadership team to the mission of Holy Cross Laundry was evident when they were approached by a company to manage the laundry in a manner which did not include the delivery of the sisters’ mission for the laundry.
“Their response was ‘why would we want to be involved in a commercial venture if it does not deliver the mission as we require of it?'”
Mr Campbell said the Mercy Sisters’ prayers, courage and commitment have enable Holy Cross Laundry to go forward in mission supported by financial sustainability.
